After The Moment With You:
by Letitbesung
Summary: Misunderstandings can lead to tricky situations, a new found bond and a choice of death or demon. How will Inu/kag fair with these life changing decisions and why does it strike the interest of someone in Inuyasha's troubled past.
1. Limit to your love

**CHAPTER ONE:**  
>-Limit to your love-<p>

Inuyasha barged into the abandoned hut nearly taking out the aged door off its frame. _'This'll do._' He thought inspecting the cold dark space covered in cobwebs and dust. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of rotting wood as his olden eyes glistened in the moonlight entering from a small hole in the roof. He looked down to the small shivering body in his arms, wrapped up in his soaking wet Haori. _'Stupid, careless, wench!'_

Kagome's face was nearly blue. Her body shook convulsively in his arms, teeth chattering loudly against her will, all her features seemed to screamed in pain and discomfort.

He shook her, growling "C'mon wench don't sleep on me!"

"P-p-p-please" She quivered frowning as he shook her again.

Trailing in water as he walked into the hut, his Kimono sloshed and stuck to his body unpleasantly. Inuyasha was soaking wet from head to toe as much as the shivering Kagome in his arms. He placed her on the ground gently, groaning out in discomfort at his sore muscles which ignited in a dull burn around his body, but he knew better then to complain about something as small as sore muscles. Kagome was much more worse off then him because she was just a mere human, he on the other hand wouldn't succumb to the coldness of hypothermia so easily. Thanks to his demon blood he didn't feel the effects of weather as prominently as humans did although the sense of it was still there.

_'Shit! I need to get a fire going. She needs to heat up now, but that means I'd have to leave her alone,'_ He thought. _'Is it right to leave her like this?'_Crouching down beside her, he shrugged off the enormous yellow back pack from his shoulder dropping it at her feet.

"Kagome..." He grouted out, but it only earned him a small mumble. "KA-GOME!"

"Mmm?" She grumbled cracking her eyes open, her clouded gaze struggling to focus on him.

"I'm getting fire wood, I'll be right back so don't and I mean DONT Fall asleep! You hear me wench!" He snapped.

"K-kay" She whimpered, her eyes drifting closed once again.

He shook her roughly and her eyes snapped open wide, earning a shaky gasp of pain from her cold lips. "Hum a song Kagome. Any song and don't stop! If you do, I will shake the life back into you!" He warned getting up and stopping just out the door to look back at her small form laying in the dark corner of the hut. Satisfied when he heard her weakly hum a tune he dashed back towards the Forrest where they had just stumbled out from, and scrummaged up all the stray wood he could carry.

As he re-entered the hut her ragged breathing and small moans were all that was left of the young woman causing a wrenching in his gut. She was getting worse by the minute, he needed to work quickly or things would get worse, dropping the wood in the fire hole in the middle of the room he could tell the clatter startled Kagome because her body flinched. He kneeled at her feet by her bag he pulled off his Kosode and tossed it.

"Kagome where are your fire sticks?" he asked hastily, but no answer came _'Fuck'._

"KAGOME!" he said louder.

Her voice cracked "Inu?"

"Where are your little fire sticks?" he asked carefully but impatience lined his words.

"M-my m-m-matches?" She asked through heavy laboured breaths.

"Yes, woman! Now where are they?" he growled.

_'Can't she see that she's...'_ He frowned at his thought and shook it away _'At least she's responding.'_

"B-Bag, in Bag" she coughed out.

He was quick to open her bag but he found his efforts were not fast enough, or maybe his lack of patients got the better of him; either way he ended up just dumping out the contents of her bag onto the floor in his hurry. Everything was drenched and seemingly ruined by water damage, he frantically shuffled around in the wet instant foods, books, soggy papers, clothes and other things that Kagome thought to be necessities. Finally finding the little box that contained the fire sticks she called _"Matches"_he sighed in relief half thinking they would be ruined like the rest of the things.

He read the label _'Water proof? Kagome said that it meant something good, right?'_Not wasting time to think of what it was that she actually said, he struck the match against the side mimicking what he had watched Kagome do for the past few years, but the confounded thing broke in half in his haste effort.

"FUCK!" He exclaimed loudly in his ever escalating frustration as he dug out another match and struck it again more gently, this match hissed and crackled to life. He carefully held it under the pile of wood which caught to the flame surprisingly quick for there being a lack of kindle. He leaned over her pulling off his damp Haori and tossed it into the fire. Unlike normal clothes his Haori was made from the fir of the fire rat so it was unaffected to flame and human made weapons.

He watched briefly as the dampness lightly hissed and disappear in a haze of steam. Kagome's drenched uniform clung to her skin showing the curvature of her body, her clothes were obviously no where near dry and a blush creeped over his cheeks in the realization of what he had to do next.

_'Snap out of it! This isn't time for thoughts like that, she needs help jackass!'_The better part of his consciousness chastised. He nodded to himself and began to do what was causing his mind such a fluster, carefully lifting Kagome into his arms he struggled to take off her blue blazer, and shimmied her white blouse over her head tossing it to the side and quickly worked on removing her shoes and socks. His hands shook nervously as he fumbled with the zipper of her skirt but, much to his frustration it became stuck in the fabric.

Ears flattening against his scalp, he frowned thinking _'I'm going to be sat to oblivion,'_

With a long sigh he hesitantly raked his claws down Kagome's hip shredding away her blue plaid skirt, being very mindful of her delicate flesh and discarding the remains in no particular direction. Reaching over he prodded his Haori out of the fire and left it close by to cool down for a moment, it would be far too hot for her skin now. Looking over to her again, her skin pale like a fishes belly and the entirety of her body covered in goosebumps. His gaze meekly loomed over the skimpy white fabric/contraption barely covering Kagome's breasts, and his face shot up in flames when he looked down to the other matching white material covering her down… _'there'._

'Yup I'm definitely going to be sat to hell,'

and with that last though he lightly fanned his claws agains his target, easily tearing off the delicate materials leaving her completely exposed and bare to him. His eyes widened as her breast sprung free from their prison and lightly bounced buoyantly. Her small nest of raven curls between her legs mostly caught is attention but he didn't take the opportunity to look for too long. His face painfully flamed up as he clamped his eyes shut, shaking away his embarrassment.

Inuyasha was going to use his own body heat to warm her, it's a simple survival strategy he learned about when he was young. He never had to try it before and he shuttered at the thought of exposing himself willingly to her, it proved harder then he thought it to be. This was Kagome, sure he had seen her naked many times before and he was sure he had watched her more times then she would ever know, on top of it all to bring her naked body flush against his?… Well that was something entirely different. He knew it wasn't sexual, how could he at her current position of vulnerability?

But he's male after all! It wouldn't be completely right if a gorgeous naked woman didn't get him all worked up, especially since it was Kagome; hell at least he wasn't as bad as the monk. Inuyasha wouldn't even think of doing something sneaky. But in his muddled mind images involuntarily sprung forth from a vault he kept tucked away, hidden in the deepest part of his cerebrum where he would turn to in his times of... _'need'._

Memories of Kagome bathing and lathering herself warmly in the hot springs were haunting. His imagination would run wild and venture further then he was sometimes comfortable with. With raw, burning need and surging pleasure, he and her would be mindless in the throws of their passion, he would dominate every inch of her, and ravish her very soul and she would give into him willingly. His claws fisting her soft raven hair, fangs pressing against her tender flesh enough to leave red marks but not enough to break skin and she would call out his name to the gods, informing them of there un-sacred union.

He paused blushing harder and stoping his own thoughts from going any further. His hands shook as he fumbled with the knot of his belt _'Stop acting like a hormone crazed pup!'_the voice in his head snapped.

He complied with himself, clearing his mind he steadied his hands, shedding his Hakama and throwing them into the fire like he had with his Haori. His body exploded in a whole new colour as his bare skin grazed against hers. Stoping to make sure she wasn't awake or anything he crawled over her body embracing her gently, taught breasts pressing firmly agains his heaving chest and in one swift movement she was on top of him. Her body was so cold and her convulsive shivering seemed to have worsened, he averted his gaze from Kagome starring off in embarrassment into the fire. Holding back his wandering thoughts he pulled his Hakama from close by and draped it over top of them, it still warm from the fire which gave him some comfort knowing he needed to get her body temperature back up as soon as possible or she may not come to.

Kagome's body quivered over him her small whimpers of pain caused him to instinctively wrap his arms around her to give her some kind of comfort. Focusing his attention suddenly back to Kagome as she slightly stirred, mumbling in her daze, "m'sorry m'sorry" over and over. "m'sorry Inu-Yasha"

His ears flattened and he bared his fangs as his previous anger welled back up from it's ugly depths coming with the waves memories from how they came to the position they were currently in.

***Earlier that evening***

He welcomed her embrace hesitantly his soul pushing her away but his body pulling her in close, a lump in his throat made it hard for him to speak but she was quick to beat him to the punch.

"I am happy with your choice Inuyasha," Kikyo whispered to him gently, her cold body hugging him as warmly as she physically could. They stood alone together in the depths of the forest lights of souls illuminating the the small peaceful area, Kikio's soul collectors smoothly circled above them quiet as clouds, watching over their master. "I truly am."

"K-Kikyo" He choked the weight lifting off him and feeling like he could finally breathe, wrapping his arms around her tightly cradling her head agains his chest. _'It hurts so much but-but I had to do this... for her.'_

"I'm glad you've finally made peace with what has happened between us Inuyasha" she smiled to herself, "It took me a long time to come to terms with it but my travels in solitude have allowed me to be alone with my thoughts."

They stood silent in each others embrace savouring the much awaited peace between there broken hearts and shattered souls.

"I use to long to be embraced by you like we once had, like in this moment. But your touch is hesitant and slightly withdrawn from me," she sighed "but still even though my body cannot feel the emotion or warmth you once had I still remember how it felt"

He sighed closing his eyes to hold back the sting of tears, "Kikyo I'm-"

"No…" she laughed painfully shaking her head and pulling away to look up at his pained golden eyes, she smiled placing a cold hand to his cheek. "never be sorry for what your heart feels Inuyasha we were in love but things have come to pass and now... Now we must mature and realize that what we wished for will never be one and the same, sounds simple when I say it in such terms but the complications are too great to bring up now, am I not right?"

He just nodded wordlessly.

"She will heal your heart Inuyasha, and she will save us from our torment and peril that Naraku has placed upon us all. So it is foretold," She smiled sadly in the realization that she could not cry for her lost love, "I use to think my resurrection as a cruse upon me for loving you and a cruel punishment for she to be in my stead by your side, but now I see it as a blessing for you. having something you've always wanted... someone to love you for who you are"

His body flinched "You would still wish to have me be human?"

"Of course not Inuyasha," she scolded "It was something I did wish for once to be free of the Shikon no tam but now I see my selfish ways. Our path wouldn't have lead us here where we stand now if it weren't for your mixed blood, you have been plagued by hard times due to it but you couldn't be as strong as you are now without it."

"But what about you Kikyo, how is this anyway fair for you?" his voice rasped

"I was never meant to be an ordinary woman."

That struck a cord in Inuyasha, bowing his head to her shoulder his silver hair spilled over his face to hide him from the world and his back shook in the grief that he held in for so long. He had failed Kikyo, she had been his first love, she was the first person in years to give a damn about him but they could never be together unless she was relieved of the Shikon Jewel. If he had wished upon the jewel to become human they could be together until the end of their mortal days and back then he wanted that more then anything in the world. All that was lost the day of the incident that sealed their fates forever. She had died and he had been pinned to the sacred tree for 50 years by Kikyos arrow, he was not affected by time, had no thought, breath or awareness of the world passing by him and then fate delft him a strange thing. He was saved by the most unlikely person; the mysterious dormant Priestess of the future, Kagome Higurashi.

Maybe the gods were punishing his existence by to giving him the reincarnation of Kikyo? Back then he had thought it was his past love for sure when he had first laid eyes on Kagome but her smell was so unique, she smelled of something so strange and different to Kikyo he noticed that before he had even noticed her strange clothing to be honest. The scent of wild flowers and the strange musk of her world mingled pleasantly in his nose; she was exotic to his senses and it would come to be his comfort in hard times. But when Kikyo was resurrected by part of Kagome's soul he was so torn between his love for Kikyo and the misunderstood hatred he had for her betraying him and then Kagome… it fucked with him more then he will ever admit.

When the truth of Naraku came to light Kikyo hadn't listened or wouldn't listen for that matter, something in her soul had become tainted by all that had happened between them, her passion and distaste for him was hard to deal with and like a lost pup he fawned over her rejection. Those lingering fresh feelings for Kikyo kept him at a stand still, it left him confused, hurt and broken and like an idiot never realized just how much it might be hurting someone else, and like that idiot he was he did it again and again. Time passed though and his feelings grew for his Kagome... _'his Kagome'._

No, that was selfish of him to think that as much as his demon agreed to the thought. She belonged to time and time alone he could remember the day he realized he loved her for not the fact that she looked like Kikyo but for the fact that she saw right through him, saw through his rough demeanour and exposed him like never before, not even with Kikyo. Although Kikyo showed him that he could love, Kagome had taught him how to love, taught him how to open himself up to others, to protect the ones he cared for and to protect the ones he loved. These people, this unlikely group he was leading on an unfortunate quest in-returned trusted him with their lives, cared for him and gave him a family; something he hadn't felt or had since his late mother.

But time and time again Kikyo called to him, and like a fool he would crawl back to her and opened old wounds for the triangle, he felt ashamed that he would have dropped everything to join Kikyo in hell but at the time he felt like it was his obligation. Kagome showed him that he deserved so much more then what he had thought he did, showed him to be proud of what he was, which was a hard thing to do after being told all his life that he was a worthless halfbreed and belonged no where. But she slowly but surely convinced him and comforted him much like his mother had.

"Shhh Inuyasha it's all right," She cooed stroking his hair. "You no longer need to suffer for us"

"Thank you Kikyo." He whimpered breathlessly.

She pulled him away and laid a light kiss on his forehead whispering "I will bless your union."

Inuyasha perked up, glancing to the forest, something had obviously caught his attention his were eyes wide and his ears alert. Kikyo glanced back to whom he was looking at.

Kagome nervously walked out from the darkness her hands trembling.

"Inu..." she whispered

He pulled away from Kikyo quickly realizing that it looked like a bad situation, Kikyo must have noticed the same because she took a step away from him.

Kikyo looked over at her reincarnation standing with a pitiful lack of confidence, legs shaking and fists clenched tightly she looked like she would explode. Kagome's gaze shot to her and a sting shot through Kikyo's chest as if the part of the soul in her body that once was housed by Kagome was being pulled, and she gave her a sad stare.

"Kagome" Inuyasha gasped.

"Choose," Kagome choked out, swallowing hard she continued "Please... right now, me or her because I can't... I can't do this anymore."

Inuyasha paused staring at her glistening hazel eyes, the salt of her tears assaulted his nose. Her stare was scrutinizing he could sense her swelling distress, it rolled off her aura in waves hurting him as much as it hurt her. Why did she alway think the worst of him? Had he hurt her so much that her confidence in him was now shattered? He couldn't blame her he hadn't been truthful or straight forward with her in... ever! But he was trying to do the right thing now, he wanted to make her understand how much he regretted hurting her all those times, all he wanted to tell her was how much she truly meant to him. He wasn't a man or half demon of many words he knew his true feelings wouldn't come out easily but in time they would show only for her, in time he would show her all his sides and care for her the way she deserved to be cared for. But he couldn't find words for her now he couldn't even begin to explain to her how this looked, he couldn't even explain to how much she meant to him and how hard it was to love her the way he did.

He opened his mouth to speak but was cut short by the sound of a half laughter coming from Kagome, she started to back away shaking her head stubbornly, he reached out his hand in desperation. "Kagome, wait!"

"No!" She brokenly spat out "No... I know your answer I've always known your answer and I... I just thought that... things changed. To-to think that I was more then your shard collector after all these years." Kagome quivered closing her eyes to let the overflow of unshed tears run down her rosy cheeks. "I'm so stupid" she whispered with a hurt smile. Opening her eyes to the ground she took up for one last look to Kikyo her expression sad and pained as if she where saying, '_You win'_ and she turned on her heel fleeing into the thickness of the forest.

"KAGOME!" Inuyasha called watching her run, hesitating before he followed he looked over to Kikyo.

"Go to her quickly Inuyasha she has the shard and although Naraku hasn't been found don't underestimate his wards whereabouts" she said her tone changing to business and just business but her face became soft once more "and make her understand Inuyasha..."

He nodded to her and dashed into the dark brush of the trees where Kagome had fled leaving Kikyo, and his past behind in the small clearing of the forest.

...

Inuyasha was hot on her trail jumping from tree to tree following the scent of tears deeper into the forest, as he pushed off another branch jumping high into the air he caught a glimpse of white and blue moving quickly through the bush a few yards from him. Growling in frustration at how she managed to move so quickly and keep a fair distance from him, he was determined to not let that fly for another minute.

_'When I catch her I'll...'_his mind threatened.

He closed in on her quickly grabbing onto her elbow her stopped her rather roughly hearing her gasp of pain at his grasp.

"Kagome!" he yelled

She struggled to push out of his clawed death grip turning her body away from him protectively she screamed loudly "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

He felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach at the echo of her words and his hand that held her close retracted immediately as if she had burned him. A silence fell between them and he watched with wide eyes as Kagome brought her hands to her mouth fresh tears threatening to spill from her eyes as if she didn't believe what she had just said. All that was heard in that moment was the rushing of the near by river and the creaks of the Forrest.

_'D-Don't touch me?'_ He thought wincing with inner pain he glanced down at his shaking hand, had he hurt her? Or was she truly afraid of him? Half ignoring his concern the arrogance got the better of him, frowning at her now he growled warningly _'What the hell! She shouldn't be fucking afraid of me!'_

"Damn it wench!" he barked and with that she attempted to turn and run but he grabbed onto her arm again jerking her back towards him again.

"No!" she yelled looking at him in shock as he pulled her in nose to nose. "SI-"

He gasped and interjected before she could call out the full subjugation words. "Idiot, will you just listen to me for a change!" He snapped but his anger faltered when Kagome's shock turned in to pure rage; a look that only Naraku had ever earned from the usually cheerful girl. It sent an uneasy shiver down his spine, half expecting her to give him the sitting of a life time or have her to purify his ass on the spot, he gritted his teeth in a nervous expectation of pain but neither came.

"I don't need to!" she snapped back pulling her arm away forcefully but he didn't try to fight her on it. She retreated from him hugging herself protectively her eyes darkly covered by her bangs, all he could see were her shimmering tears dripping off her face he had the urge to wipe them away but held himself back, "I was so stupid to think after all we shared, after all we've been through that something was there,"

"Kagome-" he tried to get in,

"But I was selfish to think that!" she continued loudly meant to block him from speaking "I've known for a long time I could never come between you and Kikyo" she backed away more half tripping on her own feel and the tree roots scattered across the forest floor. He stepped closer to her each time hoping to close the distance she was trying desperately to have. "You two have something that I could only wish for, I told you I would stay by your side" she smiled sadly "I don't know where else I'd rather be but I realized, that what I wan't shouldn't matter" Kagome looked up into the star lit sky breathing in the cold crisp air her breath coming out in a haze making Inuyasha realize the nights feverish chill. "I guess I'm just not strong enough in more ways then one, maybe if I left it to her to hunt down Naraku you might get things done around here."

His eyes went wide _'Wh-what is she saying?'_ He clenched his fist _'Ok, thats going too far. She's talking crazy now!'_

**"Make her understand Inuyasha"**

Kikyos words drifted back to him.

_'stupid wench wont let me get one word in!'_

_'Disipline our bitch for talking without permission,'_

A gruff voice demanded within him '_make our bitch submit!'_

Inuyasha frowned at it's demeaning words towards Kagome '_piss off! No one needs your goddamn opinion!' _He argued seemingly with himself.

Suddenly realizing that the roar of the river was exceptionally loud in the area they were slowly approaching he stopped his mental struggle, _'Isn't there an edge to the river trench around here?'_ He knew it was close, dangerously close _'Idiot, she shouldn't be running around blindly in the dark!'_

He could smell the fresh water mist of the river the smell was stronger now he figured the river edge wasn't even a few meters away possibly a little beyond the trees behind Kagome that she was currently backing towards. He held out his hand "Kagome. come to me." He demanded.

She gasped at the command "excuse me?"

He realized his tone wasn't too inviting "I didn't mean it that way woman, now wait!" Advancing on her but she moved away quicker "Kagome be careful-"

"Stop it! Please just stop I can't... I just can't" She sobbed turning to run, but she clumsily tripped over a rock jutting out from the ground.

"Kagome!" He exclaimed lunging for her but she fell further into the dankness screaming out loud. Bursting through the thick bushes and over the other side he realized with wide eyes that they were falling head first down to the rushing river below. _'shit!' _He didn't have enough time to react, grabbing onto Kagome he hugged her close to his chest and took the brunt of the fall into the river.

…He remerged from the dark water gasping for a pained breath, his chest tight from the throbbing sting across his backside, and took an extra moment for his vision to come back as he frantically waved in the water "Kagome!... KAGOME!" He choked out his voice echoing across the trench walls.

The impact had torn her from his grasp and he could no longer see through the onslaught of rushing water threatening to drag him under and through the darkness. The dim moonlight added a small advantage to his hazed sight frantically looking every which way for Kagome, the corner of his eye suddenly caught a glimpse of white submerging not to far ahead of him. It was Kagome's unconscious form barely staying afloat he swam to her desperately catching onto her hand pulling her in close and he continued to swim as hard as he possibly could towards the river bank being mindful to keep her head above the water.

Pulling her onto a large rock he laid her in his arms worryingly glancing over her for any injuries, his eyes fell upon her graceful moonlit face, placing a hand on her cheek patting her gently "Kagome?" His panicked voice shook, rocking her body gently he patted her cheek a little harder, the fear setting in. His keen ears could hear her struggling heart, he remembered Kagome's crash course in something called, CPR? What ever it was… She said it was good for people who have drowned. Pinching her nose like he had been told to do, he didn't hesitate on placing his lips over hers and used the power, _'the breath of life' _Kagome had explained how to do.

Pulling away from her and looking down in all his hopes that he did it right he shook her gently."KAGOME" he pleaded.

Her face suddenly frowned and she gargled on the fluids in her lungs spitting it up into Inuyasha's face. He grimly looked down at her as she struggled to cough narrowing his eyes "Gross" he mumbled

She growled at his remark, pushing at him "Get off jerk" she coughed.

"Keh! Thats the last time I save your ass from drowning then bitch!" he barked back "What the fuck do you think you were doing running around in the middle of the night alone Kagome!" He sat up dropping Kagome from his lap on to the rocks crossing his arms into his sleeves and glaring down at her accusingly. All his worries had seemed to have washed away in her spit and water.

She winced and rubbed her rear in pain. "Jerk" he herd her grumble.

"You're the one to talk!" she bit out standing up and challenging his posture, "I came looking for you! and I find you with-" She lowered her gaze and backed down shivering in the cold wind, "It doesn't matter now, look at where it got me anyway."

"Idiot" he scoffed

"Well I guess I am an idiot for ever-!" she suddenly gasped and whirled around searching for something "Where is it?" she yelped

He could tell something was wrong by the fearful look in her eyes "What?"

"My back pack Inuyasha! Where is it!"

Frowning at her accusing tone he sniffed "Keh, not my fault you lose your shit, river probably has all your useless stuff anyway"

"USLESS! STUPID HEAD! THE JEWLE SHARDS ARE IN THERE!" she hollered

His mind went blank... "What! W-Well can you sense it?"

She shook her head chocking out "I-I can't,"

"CONCENTRATE DAMN IT!"

"I'M TRYING YOU…YOU ASS!" She yelled back

He looked down at her in shock she never swore at him before, maybe he was a bad influence like she had said time and time again when he would cuss in front of Shippo. But never in a million years did he thing the word _"ass"_come out of her usually clean mouth.

"What the fuck did you call me!" He yelled back

"Quite!" She hissed grabbing onto her head to block out his hollering, he gave her a moment to concentrate again but when she didn't move or make a sound soon enough he came over to her pulling her hands away from her ears.

"Well?" He snapped

"I... n't" she barely whispered through a blank stare.

Growling in frustration he was ready to snap, "Speak up!"

"I CAN'T!" She yelled in his face tears obviously ready to flow.

She didn't give him a chance to give her an ear full before she pulled away from him taking off in a spring down the river path, He caught up easily swooping her into his arms.

"Inuyasha?" She gasped

"What? You think your just gunna out run the river?" he commented dryly.

She bit her lip to hold a come back and shamefully looked away.

They ran for what seemed like forever, searching for any sign of her lost bag but the river proved difficult to give any clues. _'Crap'_ he thought, _'CRAP! Leave it to her to lose the goddamn jewel shards, AGAIN!'_

'This is all your fault you bastard, don't blame Kagome'

His conscience bit at him feeling a sting of guilt he knew she wouldn't have come out if he had just made sure she stayed in her time so he could have time to talk to Kikyo privately without causing all of this bullshit. _'Stupid woman should trust me, giving me all of this "after all we've been through" bullshit you think she would fucking trust me!'_But in his heart he knew he didn't have the right to expect that of her after all he had put her through.

"Oh! Inuyasha look!" She suddenly exclaimed pointing to the edge or the river ahead, he could see her yellow bag snagged on a log extending from the shore.

He landed near, and Kagome jumped off him running to her back "It's not here" she said before she even reached it grabbing the giant yellow sack and placing it on the ground to rummage into it, her two fingers stuck out of a rip at the bottom "It must have fallen out from here,"

Reaching over her he swung the bag onto his back "c'mon we don't have time to waste."

She nodded without a word as he picked her up again, he could feel her shivering in the cold but brushed the thought away more preoccupied about finding the jewel they ran not too far long the path until the shore disappeared into just hill sides making, it difficult for Inuyasha to run quickly without slipping down the slick muddy slopes.

"Feel anything at all?" he asked roughly but she didn't answer looking down at her in irritation he suddenly stopped running nearly slipping at his abrupt halt Looking down at her pain written expression he frowned "Kagome?"

Now that he had stopped he realized how much her body was shaking _'She's shivering like crazy!'_ He hadn't paid much attention to the cold, sure his body had become numb to it after a while but he could still function thanks to his demon blood. "Fuck" he cursed out loud. _'how could I be so stupid!' _Kagome was just a human, weak and delicate her skin was so pale and her shivers where nearly verbal as she heaved for breath. Both their clothes were still considerably wet the thick mist from the river was at fault for that, but he couldn't think about that now.

"Kagome can you hear me?"

"S-so c-cold Inuyasha" She shivered opening her eyes up to him

"Stupid woman, why didn't you tell me you were cold?" he gritted

"D-did we f-find the jewel shard y-yet?"

Inuyasha frowned, "No Kagome we didn't, but we need to get you warmed up, you're going to get sick at this rate and then you'll be more useless."

"B-but the j-j-jewle" She wined.

"Shut up wench" He said leaving it at that and jumping higher towards the top of the cliffs back into the Forrest. He sniffed the air for the village but like he figured they had drifted too far from it to make it back in time before Kagome got worse, and to make it worse they were on the other side of the river. Sighing he looked down at Kagome again she curled up as much as she possibly could in his arms seemly concentrating on the pain she was obviously in, if he ran he could probably get to the nearest village within a half an hour, but the night was getting colder and the air he would pick up from the run would make her more uncomfortable.

"I'm s-sorry Inu-" she groaned through her shaking slowly drifting to sleep "I-I'm s-sorry I c-couldnt be m-more... like K-kikyo"

"Kagome, stop being o fucking irrational! I went to Kikyo to-" he didn't finnish his sentence as he noticed she had drifted off _'tell her later dumb ass she's not even half conscious!… And for the love of kami stop arguing with yourself!'_

He shook her gently, "Kagome you can't sleep." He lightly pleaded

"I'm so tired" she mumbled

"Don't care wench, your gunna have to wait till we find somewhere first"...

***End Flash Back***

Rubbing his eyes weary from the sudden exhaustion he tried to shake his anger towards Kagome, and the nagging pull his body had to get up and search for the shards immediately. He had to shake it off, what else could he do? He was lucky enough to find this little piece of shit of a hut barely standing up in the middle of the secluded forest in a random clearing, and it was pure luck alone that led him there.

Glancing down at Kagome for some distraction he sighed in relief noticing that her colour was returning and although her shivering was still persistent, it was slowing down in intensity. He brushed the hair from her face a feeling forming in him that made him nervous, his demon was trying to surface he could feel his own rise in Youki and the burning in his veins.

_'Just calm down'_ he told himself focusing on Kagome's peaceful face. She had grown into such a beautiful woman over the few years, she was no longer the short thin girl he knew her body as well as mind had greatly matured, her skin glowing with youth and her curves were so defining he caught himself watching the way she walked more often then none. The light pink of her plump lips seemed so inviting and not to mention the obvious change in her breasts that were currently pressed against him, everything was all to inviting about her. He didn't trust himself lately to be around her because of his little _'Problem.'_

_'Claim her,_' a voice demanded "Fuck off" he hissed to himself shaking his head to rid of it but the voice was persistent, making him growl in annoyance. _'CLAIM MATE!'_

It wasn't until recent that his demon first spoke to him, at first he ignored the haunting voice but as it progressed he feared what it could mean. Hiding away from the group for nearly 2 weeks he had earned himself an earful from an extremely worried Kagome and an extremely disgruntled Shippo for making the young priestess so upset. It was true though he felt bad for not giving any warning knowing it was uncharacteristic of him to leave for so long without a single word, but it was for their own safety. Many thoughts had come to mind like: was his demon taking control of him? Was Tetsuiga no longer holding it back, he even went as far as to think he was dying from something he couldn't explain, and his demon blood was just a warning.

He felt sick to the stomach at the thought of losing himself, killing for the twisted joy of it and having tainted blood on his hands. The memories where still fresh in his mind and he feared he would hurt the ones he cared about, especially Kagome. Though he had never hurt her in previous transformations except for the time in Kaguya's castle where he had held onto her too tightly, nothing serious had happened, yet. It didn't mean that it couldn't and he wasn't about to take that chance. The demon voice in him hadn't said much at first but it would make strange disturbing comments about things that would occur in a seemingly normal day. Starting back when Miroku had put an arm around Kagome during a rather dramatic conversation about his love for Sango, which earned a fiery blush from the Demon Slayer and a few chuckles from Kagome. They had been on there way back to Kaede's village from an unsuccessful lead to Narakus whereabouts. It had hissed to kill Miroku the instant he had laid a hand on Kagome, Inuyasha never even realized he had growled loudly enough to earn a strange feared glance from Shippo and Kirara as if they understood what it had meant.

He shook it off and simply growled out for the monk to keep his hands to himself and pushed back the strange occurrence but a few other incidents happened where it would growl fiercely to have Kagome _'Submit' _to him if she were arguing with him. His demon always seemed be louder when she was around. He also found himself disciplining the fox child more often, a light scruff of the neck here and there would usually get the kit to stop what ever that needed punishing for, but he found it off to be doing things a father would normally do to correct his young. His demon would even command to put Sango in her place when she and him where having a spat, and thats when it was getting to be to much. He was just thankful they didn't have any run-in's with the mangy wolf Koga or he knew he would have really lost it.

Seeking out the advice from Myoga when he had left the group proved more difficult then he thought, the damn flea was no where to be found but when he had found Myoga it was more like the flea conveniently found him for a much wanted snack. He explained what was happening and Myoga's panic fed Inuyasha's fears, but the flea had asked suddenly how he felt towards Kagome lately. He squashed the flea for that, saying it wasn't any of his business and after that Myoga seemed to know what was wrong.

He informed his demon was just initiating a dominant role in their pack seemed to make sense in his actions towards the group, being protective and territorial when Miroku touched Kagome, disciplining Shippo and wanting to show dominance towards the strong willed Sango, it made sense. His reaction to Kagome was Myoga's main interest spilling out some crap about how proud he was of his master to find his _'intended,'_ how his demon was claiming Kagome as his _'Mate' _and how his mother would have been proud of him to pick a fine mate such as Kagome. But Inuyasha had been to embarrassed to hear the rest of Myoga's rant although some of the information sounded important he was to stubborn to listen, it was just some fuss about marking and mating cycles. he already knew a bit about all that, he wasn't a naive pup so he found it time waisting and changed the subject.

He just asked how he could get it to stop, Myoga said it would get better with time although he wasn't really sure how long, it was up to the demon he said and once he was able to control it he and his demon mind would become one and he would gain more power, what kind of power? Well, Myoga apparently couldn't remember... useless flea. Myoga announced that he would seek advice from the General of the Western Castle (Inuyasha's fathers domain) that had earned the flea another flattening, and Inuyasha barking that it was none of **HIS **goddamn business. Inuyasha hoped to never have to associate himself with those demons again.

Inuyasha closed his eyes at the memories of the past flooding in, all of which were too overwhelming for him to deal with at the moment, and a naked shivering Kagome pressing against a certain part of him wasn't making any of it better. He inhaled her sent deeply to calm his senses but it fuelled them making him spiral out of control his demon rumbling within, her sent was like a fine spice that pricked the back of his throat making it hard to swallow. Kagome was his mate he knew it deep in his soul as much as he knew he didn't deserve her he couldn't live without her and he knew how she felt; sure he hadn't realized it earlier but he knew better now. Trying to calm his nerves he now focused on the sound of her heart beat which seemed to help immensely.

She groaned in her sleep whispering his name breathlessly, earning from him a heated flush._'Is she dreaming of me?'_ He couldn't help but wonder smiling with a drowsy grin, listening to the rhythm of her heart. _'Just be ok Kagome.' _was his last conscious thought before he drifted off into a rare deep sleep.

TBC...

A/N  
>Yay first chapter done and I'm feeling pretty good about it! I hope you enjoyed it too! :D Please write a comment if you like, constructive critisism is fine too I'm always willing to take suggestions and learn from my mistakes :)<p>

Next chapter: Kagome finds our favorite Half demon quite naked underneath her. DUN DUN DUH! haha what will her reaction be?

[Sorry for all the ones who subscribed and got updates on the story like 100 times I'm trying to spruce up my little grammatical mistakes and what not so again. Sorry. I have horrible grammar btw so sorry for the smart people out there who think I'm not quite oh so smart right now... cuz it's true. :P]


	2. Too Afraid To Love You

**CHAPTER 2:**

-Too Afraid to Love You-

-CONTINUED- **Earlier that evening**

She swung her right leg over the side struggling to pull herself up and over the well's wall.

"Jerk...said... he would...get me" Kagome grunted to the wind dropping her self into the soft grass.

Wiping the sweat from her brow she laughed to herself, "Phew! That was way harder then it should have been. I must be getting out of shape.

Kagome's bag was heavier than usual she stocked up on a heftier load of supplies this time. The usual things; First aid kit, pocky snacks and colour pencils for Shippo, herbal teas and soaps for Sango along with various types of chocolate she knew she would enjoy sampling. A book called 'Religion Explained' by Pascal Boyer, she had found at the book store thinking Miroku would like it since he seemed so keen to know more about the many types religions in Kagome's time. Cat treats for Kilala and of course more then half the space was occupied by Inuyasha's ration of various instant noodles (except for the spicy kind) she didn't have a doubt in her mind that they would ALL be gone within the next few days.

_'That boy would clean out the whole isle of instant noodles in the grocery store if he could'_ she had thought while picking out the different flavours and she still thought the same.

And last but not least, her school work. She had packed every single piece of study material she could possibly fit into her giant yellow bag. Kagome was now in her final year of High school she still couldn't believe she had made it this far. Between fighting Naraku and searching for the shards she didn't know how she would be able to keep up with her studies. Inuyasha constantly argued with her whenever she needed to go back to her time to do important tests. But their she was reaching her finals which weren't even 3 months away and she had managed to keep a good average. She thought at times that she might not even live to see her high school days having had her share of danger in her time through the Bone Eaters well.

Standing up and dusting herself off she noted the small smudge on her new skirt and clicked her tongue in annoyance. _'Mama wouldn't be impressed if I ruined this Uniform right away'._

Kagome prided her high school uniform. It reminded her of how far along she had come, from being a scrawny little girl in a green sailor styled junior school uniform she had come to this time in, frightened and naive of evil. She was older now (nearly 18), she was more confident and far more powerful then she could ever have imagined. Her skill with a bow and arrow were impressive to the people of the village, though she was modest about it. Her spiritual powers where growing everyday and her abilities were remarkable, she was often compared to Kikyo within the village. She felt as though she no loner needed to protect herself behind her friends,and she no longer needed to prove herself anymore. To no one except...

Inuyasha. Where was he?

Kagome started towards the dirt path to the Village a little disappointed that she had not been greeted by anything but softly twittering birds.

She walked slowly not feeling a need to rush as she got lost in her thoughts.

_'What if he left again?'_ She bit her lip nervously.

Frowning at the memory of Inuyasha leaving not too long ago without a word for nearly 2 weeks, she could feel her nerves wind tightly within her in a nagging way against her heart strings. She had been a worried mess at the time, she remembered those agonizing days like they were yesterday. She cried when he had finally returned, he came solemnly out of the darkness as if he were just coming back from a rough journey. She had waited every night outside the hut until the sun nearly rose for him to come back, like a dog waiting for its master, she had thought it was rather ironic. Yelling at him furiously when he returned until her throat was hoarse and trembling with sobs. He just took it, looking towards the ground in guilt but his arms crossed sternly over his chest as if he were allowing her to take out her frustration on him verbally. She thought he had been hurt, thought he had gotten captured by Naraku, thought that he was dead or that he was with...

He never did give her a good reason for his disappearance he just said sternly that there was something he had to take care of and that he couldn't have them slowing him down. As furious as Kagome was with that poor excuse, his sudden apology seemed so sincere. He had pulled her into a strong embrace, much to her surprise and was even more so when he promised he would never do it again nor leave her side.

Her stomach fluttered at the memory. The tenderness of his touch and the husky apologetic whisper in her ear had made her heart stop back then. He pressed her so close to his heart and held her as if she would slip away from him at any moment. It felt like a longing, loving embrace.

Kagome placed a hand on her flushed cheek shaking away the rising butterflies in her stomach.

_'I know where he probably ran off to or more so WHO he ran off to... Kagome don't kid yourself,'_ A voice in her disheartened.

Looking down the path she noticed that she was approaching the Sacred tree and gave a long sad sigh, _'But he has never left me that long for __'her'__ before'_

_'Could he be getting... well... bored of me?'_

_'No... Inuyasha cares about all of us he wouldn't leave like that for her'_ she bit back but her negativeness persisted,

_'He has been pretty distant lately... maybe he figured it would hurt my feelings for once and did a nice thing for me. I know he's chosen who he wants but...'_

Memories of there embrace flooded back.

_'What did it mean? Did it mean anything at all? Maybe I'm just reading too much into it.'_

Stopping suddenly she turned slowly, looking over to the Sacred tree, "Inuyasha" she whispered out loud.

She was compelled to walk over and touch the scar where he had been pinned, feeling a slight warmth against her touch. She looked up into the leaf blanketed branches where streams of light escaped. She breathed in deeply, and closed her eyes.

_**'I won't leave you again Kagome I promise I'll stay by your side...'**_ His words came to her again in that smooth whisper.

She had promised him that same thing all those years ago. It still hurt.

The bond Kikyo and Inuyasha have, was something she and him could never attain. She sympathized with how confused Inuyasha must have been with Kikyo's death and resurrection. Kagome figured out long ago, that time alone would not be able to heal Inuyasha's heart, as much as she hoped their friendship would mend him. She loved Inuyasha, she definitely couldn't hide that anymore. She could no longer hide it that day she promised she wouldn't leave him nearly 2 years ago.

She accepted his choice, she accepted anything about Inuyasha. Kagome struggled with her feelings towards him over the years, trying to keep them at bay though Inuyasha and Kikyo seemed to break down all those walls during each encounter. It left her feeling alone, and deserted each time forcing her to rummage through her heart like the adolescent girl she was at the time. But she had to put a stop to all that, she told her self she needed to grow up and stop feeling sorry for herself. Learning to accept that Inuyasha would undoubtedly run to Kikyo any chance he got was difficult, she for a time only focused on getting stronger. Her training with Kaedey had come to be useful in battles against Naraku but Kagome found she was never strong enough.

As hard as she had worked to ignore her feelings towards Inuyasha, she would find herself bottling up a lot of her emotions which would ultimately blow up on her during inconvenient times. She knew she didn't hide herself as well as she hoped, the obvious hopelessness of her affections were actually quite painful to watch for most of the group, and even more so for Kagome who was the one looking out from the situation. Inuyasha was just as bad as she was, every time he hesitated to go see Kikyo for Kagome's behalf was like a slap in the face to her. What did he want her to say? "_No, don't go to her?",_ Every time he asked for what seemed like her permission to leave, he forced her to give him up from her heart each and every time and that always hurt most.

Though he hadn't run off to her in months, his confessions of running to Kikyo were more blunt when he did. She felt as though his honesty was far better then tense silence and at least he respected her enough now not to do so, or so she thought. His unclear answer to his whereabouts two weeks ago kept Kagome skeptical of his actions, and she hated analyzing everything he did. It was something she didn't want to admit to even herself but her trust in him was waining. Was she to blame? His indecisiveness was famous within the group, and he had to be dense to not know his actions hurt her. Sango usually made sure he would know what he did wrong anyway, she always did.

Before Kagome was captured by Kagura and that infant long ago, Kagome had never admitted that she hated Inuyasha and felt bitterness and jealousy towards Kikyo. They were uncontrollable emotions, it showed her humanity and her strength. Her love for Inuyasha was stronger then hate and her respect and sympathy for Kikyo over shadowed any resentment. She always felt guilty for harbouring hatred towards the two for having feelings that she herself couldn't control, which was an unrequited love.

"There's a good reason you're not here right now with me right Inuyasha? Why you're not by my side?" She asked the tree's scar.

Knowing no answer would come she pulled away and continued down the path.

She looked past the horizon towards the setting sun and smiled at it's welcoming warmth. She could see smoke coming out of Sango's little hut in the corner of the village and a familiar purple robed figure sitting outside against the front of the quaint little home. She giggled out loud. Miroku must have done something to piss off the sassy Demon slayer to have him be outside sitting alone in the chilled March breeze.

She walked down the path towards the village looking around for that flash of red to clam her nerves but it never came.

"Good evening lady Kagome" an elderly woman greeted her as she passed by.

"Good evening!" Kagome smiled back bowing slightly.

Others waved to her and bid her a good evening as well, as she walked the outer path of the village and some children ran up to her and asked her questions, hung off her and talked her ear off. She silenced there persistent child like banter with suckers she had in her bag and then continued on her way.

Kagome was no longer seen as a strange girl in stranger looking clothes in the little village. The people adored her when she was around. Helping with the sick and playing with the children she has become quite loved by the villagers.

She soon came upon Miroku's and Sango's hut that lay just a little outside the village, Miroku and Inuyasha had built it about 2 months ago. It was Miroku's idea first, he really wanted to make a home for Sango and had been talking about it for a while. With Sango and Miroku being engaged there was a slight urgency from Sango to have her own home, but it was more or less for the whole group anyway. Sango and Kagome and told the men that they had been using Kiedey's home for to long and should consider having their own home stead. The village had long ago accepted Inuyasha as their protector so a permanent home was more then fine. It also felt like a home away from home for Kagome.

"Miroku!" Kagome called out waving happily.

He perked up from his solitude and spotted the noticeable girl walking towards him, "Why hello there Kagome! welcome back." He smiled standing to greet her.

"So what did you do this time to get kicked out Miroku?" Kagome giggled stopping in-front of him holding out a helping hand.

Before the Monk opened his mouth a small blur of green and orange fluff launched its self from within the hut and into Kagome's arms. Making her drop Miroku's grasp and leaving the monk in mid stand, only to have himself fall back with an, "Oohf!"

"Oh! Shippo" Kagome laughed as he hugged her tightly.

"Kagome I missed yooou!" he squealed happily nuzzling her with his head lovingly. He noticed the poor monk groaning and struggling to stand up rubbing his back side in pain. "Sorry Miroku." he lowered

He waved his hand at Shippo's apology, with a pained smile. "It's all right Shippo."

"Kagome your back" Sango beamed leaning out the door, Kilala standing by her feet meowing a little welcome as well. "Did you're studying go well?"

Kagome sighed "Yes, well… it went better then I thought it would, but I need to still catch up with a few courses."

"When do you have to take those final exams Inuyasha told us about? He said you had to battle something called a 'diploma?' is it harder then Fox training?" Shippo asked with a worried tone.

"Don't worry Shippo I'll be fine" Kagome reassured not feeling the need to correct the young child of what her test's really where. "They're still a couple months away"

"So did you bring me any sweets?" Shippo eagerly asked

"You know I did" she smirked

"come, come let us talk inside" Sango piped

Sango rushed the group in excited to have Kagome try her stew that she had slaved away in the hut for nearly a whole hour. She also gave a reluctant look to have the monk back in the hut, and made sure he was last to come inside. Kagome noticed the glower the young Slayer shot at the Monk as he hesitantly stepped inside and sat beside his fiance.

The tension was thick in the air.

"So... One of you going tell me what's going on between the two of you?" Kagome asked as she rummaged out her gifts from her bag.

The couple stayed quiet, but without missing a single beat shippo chimed out. "Miroku was being a little too friendly with the head mans daughter."

"Miroku" Kagome chastised

"It's not at all how Shippo put it" Miroku assured

Sango closed her eyes in annoyance "I'm sure" she scoffed

"Sango! Please be reasonable" he pleaded, "I would never stoop as low as going for the head mans daughter when I have an incredibly beautiful fiance here at home."

"Save it you crooked monk, I'm done talking about this" Sango bit out pouring Shippo a bowl of stew and handing it to him.

"Oh, you two." Kagome sighed pulling out Sango's gifts "Well, these will make you feel better Sango"

Sango took the bundle. "Kagome you didn't have to bring me anything" she smiled "Thank you very much"

Kagome handed another small bag to Sango "Oh and Kilala's cat treats!"

Kilala mewed happily, coming over and sniffing the bag.

"And this is for you Miroku" Kagome passed the book to him

"How very interesting, thank you Kagome!" He said examining the book.

Shippo lowered his head and fiddled shyly with his fingers "...Hey, What about me?"

"Of course Shippo don't be silly" Kagome smirked at the child's impatience handing him his little gifts.

His eyes lit up and he squealed in delight "Oh thank you Kagome Thank you!"

Kagome smiled brightly "It's no problem guys"

And with that the tension of the room dissipated with Kagome's kind gestures. Sango finished pouring everyone soup and everyone commented on how much better her food had come along, making her blush bashfully.

Although she was happy to be back with her friends, Kagome's mind was still nagging at her for the one who wasn't among them.

"It's getting late." Kagome noted looking out the open door at the low sun set, "And Inuyasha still isn't here."

"Oh? I almost didn't notice he wasn't here." Miroku admitted taking a long sip from his tea, "He likes to wander off, he thinks he imposes when your not around sometimes."

"I'm afraid I didn't notice either, did he not bring you back?" Sango said worryingly

Kagome stared deep into the fire, "He never showed, I came by myself."

"Strange of him to go off without saying anything," Sango mused, but knew that it was a familiar story. "I thought he was with you earlier?"

All eyes were on Miroku.

His eyes shifted to the floor, "Uh, yes he was not too long ago..."

Sango frowned at his reaction but Kagome didn't catch it. "Well?" She pressed.

"I believe he just went for a walk," Miroku said uneasy.

Sango eyed her husband suspiciously.

Miroku's answer felt wrong to Kagome aswell, it made her stomach turn uncomfortably. He was being distant because he knew something, but it was obvious he didn't want her to know.

Turning her attention back to Kagome, Sango continued. "Don't worry Kagome, I'm sure he'll be back soon."

Shippo stopped slurping one of the juice boxes Kagome had given him and spoke, "I thought I saw him walking into the Forrest, I just assumed he was going to get you Kagome."

Kagome pondered for a moment placing away the last of the instant noodles on a shelf to the side and stood up "I think I'll actually go look for him."

"I'll come" Sango said quickly ready to stand.

"No, no it's all right thanks." Kagome waved off "Don't trouble yourself Sango."

"It's getting dark out, you know it's not safe" Sango pleaded.

Miroku stood up aswell "Sango's right Kagome, it's not safe"

Kagome struggled to hold back her slight annoyance _'Everyone thinks I'm so helpless!'_

Kagome laughed it off. "Guys I can handle myself, I'm not that useless. Besides, I'll stay close to the village."

"Kagome you can take Kilala if you'd like" Sango offered, Kilala mewed happily.

"Thank you but I'm fine really"

"Kagome-"

"Sango I want to go alone please, don't worry I'll be fine." Kagome tried to say as nicely as she could while lining her tone with urgency.

Sango backed down, "All right Kagome"

Shippo growled "Knowing that fool he's probably out looking for Kik-"

Miroku grabbed the little fox and muffled his last words in the sides of his robes.

"M-Miroku!" Shippo sputtered against his grasp.

"He'll be back looking for you soon, so you should just stay." Miroku persisted with a nervous laugh

"No, I'm going to go look for him" Kagome said slinging her back pack onto her shoulder. Something inside told her that she would need it her things to leave right away.

As she walked away from the hut she heard Sango argue with her husband in a hushed tone.

"Don't cover for his ass!" Sango hissed smacking the back of his head with her wooden spoon.

"Its better then the truth…" He said solemnly

Kagome sighed and tried to ignore what the _'truth_' really meant.

She walked down the path towards the forest "Inuyashaaaa!" she called out

Frustration welled up in her _'Where could he be?'_

_'There's one place he could be…'_ A small voice taunted in the back of her mind

"No he wouldn't" She whispered

'_But... what if he is.'_ The thought pushed.

"Inuyasha!" She called out a little more desperately

Suddenly something slithery skimmed her ankle, making her jump and scream out in shock. She turned to see one of Kikyo's soul collectors slithering by her.

Her heart dropped _'No…'_

It seemed to look right at her then it hissed, she gasped and backed away. _'Is this a warning?'_

It turned and glided away into the trees. Kagome stood still for a few moments.

Her shoulders sunk_. 'I knew it'_

_'There's nothing more here Kagome. You know where he is now just go back tot the village. You don't want to see them together.'_ Her subconscious told her.

She turned to walk back towards the village but stopped and clenched her fists "No I wont run. I can't ignore it this time, I have to confront them about this once and for all. I-I need to know" She growled and hesitantly walked forward following the soul catcher.

She could feel the familiar feeling of Inuyasha's demonic aura in the area.

_'Kikyo will know that I'm here.'_ she thought as she felt the strong pulsing spiritual energy. Pushing past the bushes she followed the soul collector _'She didn't even bother to put up a barrier'_ she though curiously

And that's when she saw them together in the depths of the forest in a small clearing, Kikyo was hugging him and he was whispering something into her ear.

_`Sweet nothings'_ Kagome thought reading it in a romance novel once. She felt her whole body flinch as Kikio kissed Inuyasha softly on the forehead. Kagome frowned. '_How rude!'_ She thought towards Kikio, _'She has to know I'm here, and if so then that's just plain low to do that in front of me.'_

She wanted to run but couldn't help but stare at the scene before her.

His ears twitched and he turned to look right in her direction. There eyes met and Kagome gasped.

'_Don't run Kagome_.' She chanted in her head stepping out of the dark brush of the Forrest.

Inuyasha just stared at her, and she just stared back.

Kagome's heart pounded as she unconsciously stepped forward out from behind the tree and walked towards them. Her frantic mind telling her to turn back.

Kikyo now turned to her, her beautiful face etching a scar across Kagome's now weak confidence.

_`Don't look at me.'_ Kagome mentally pleaded, but Kikyo's eyes pierced through her.

Kikyo separated herself from Inuyasha _'Caught in the act. Hmm, It's not like her to be so withdrawn from Inuyasha while I'm here.'_ She could feel Kikyo's spiritual energy pull on her, and Kagome flared her aura to brush her off. Kikyo's eyes looked slightly shocked.

Kagome focused back to Inuyasha, and she could feel her eyes burn with a familiar tingle, _'No, stay strong. You can do this!'_ She told herself.

She could feel her hands shaking uncontrollably at her sides, her wobbly knees propelling her forward until she suddenly stopped. _'Oh gods, I never thought I'd get this far... w-what do I say?'_ Kagome mentally panicked so she did all her body was willing to give up.

"Choose" Escaped her trembling lips more forcefully then she had expected. It felt like she had just released something that had been in captivity since the day she knew she loved him.

A sudden sense of relief filled her. _'I said it?... I finally said it!'_ Feeling her confidence rise, she spoke again. "Please... right now, me or her because I can't... I can't do this anymore."

He said nothing, he just stared at her stunned not knowing what to say like always. _'I shouldn't have even bothered.'_

She felt foolish for putting herself out there, she felt worse for spilling her emotions like a hopelessly love struck woman, how embarrassing! And in front of Kikyo no less. What had happened to her? She was doing just fine standing by his side all these years acting naive in this ridiculous love triangle. Why couldn't she just keep her mouth shut? Why couldn't she just let it all go?

_'Because love acts in crazy ways,'_ She laughed bitterly _'...mama said that it's was up to me to choose the right path. But what if I was wrong all along and I chose the wrong path? What if it was wrong of me to stay?'_

Inuyasha stepped towards her "Kagome, wait."

Shaking _'no'_ she couldn't bare to hear the words she dreaded. So she turned and ran ignoring his call out to her.

_'Why can't I let my feelings for him go!'_ Her mind screamed, tears flowing in the wind.

***End Kagome's flash back***

The morning light shone through the small opening in the roof cascading along the walls and floor where the couple lay.

The fire was now gone leaving in the middle of the small hut, a crackling and dying smoulder.

Kagome's eyes fluttered as she regained consciences.

Her first thought. _'Oh god, my head hurts!'_

Her heavy eyelids cracked open and strained to focus in the piercing sunlight. Her head throbbed painfully inducing an incoming wave of nausea, _'What happened to me, why do I feel like this?'_

Her body was stiff and clammy against something warm and smooth beneath her, _'Oh god, where am I?'_ She thought staring dumbly at the unfamiliar wall across from her.

Then something dawned on her. She was sleeping on something unnatural to that of her sleeping bag or a mattress. She struggled to prop herself up by her weak shaking arms as all her muscles tore with each movement. With a wince and a groan she glanced down at Inuyasha's graceful face as he slept on.

She blushed, _'Inuyasha? But why am I sleeping on him?'_

Her body's movement made her notice something else strange. She felt so bare as if she weren't wearing clothes. But why? Looking down between them her stomach lurched into her throat, _'I-I'm completely...'_

Inuyasha's eyes opened quickly, he had sensed Kagome's panic which rudely awoke him from his peaceful sleep. He now stared up at the dumfounded girl above him with wide and equally shocked eyes. _'Oh shit, shit, shit shit shit!'_ Inuyasha's mind panicked as he laid there as still as he could, waiting for her reaction.

As soon as their eyes met Kagome's face shot up in flames, she yelped out in shock pushing up from her position and backing away from him.

"AH! NO WAIT KAGOME!" Inuyasha panicked as she uncovered him and took his Haori with her.

Smashing her back up against the wall she stared at him confused and slightly scared. She had grabbed the Haori that was draped over her and hugged it close to cover herself. Then she realized something else that was now hard to miss. Inuyasha was just as naked as she was, minus the Haori. Her eyes glanced down his lean muscular body and inevitably rested on his member. Inuyasha just sat there in all his glory before her, sputtering on what to say not even realizing that he should have covered himself. Looking down to what she was so stunned at he cursed at himself, but it was too late for him now.

She yipped and covered her eyes, not believing she had just shamefully stared at his... his! "Why are you?... Why am I?..."

Kagome swore her face would burn off from embarrassment.

Memories of the night before flashed through Kagome's mind. Inuyasha embracing Kikyo in the depths of the forest, Kagome asking him to finally choose and him not giving an answer. The trouble in the river and losing the jewel shard, Feeling the unforgiving coldness of the night and succumbing to the darkness and Inuyasha's rough plea's for her to stay awake. Then… nothing.

She heard shuffling and without thinking she looked back up to see him moving closer to her. Clamping her eyes shut she covered her face with her hands once again, and she screamed. "SIT!"

The hut groaned and cracked underneath his weight as he slammed down against the floor.

"Bitch!" He growled out, "Will you just listen!"

"Sit!"

"Kag-" *thud* "K-Kagomeeee!" He whined.

"Y-You pervert! What where you doing with me! Where are my clothes?" She fumed.

He crawled over to his Hakama and hastily tugged it on before she would sit him again. "Doing with you? Keh! Wench I didn't do anything to you! I'm not like the fucking monk!"

"Then-then why were you naked!" she screeched eyes still covered.

"Because somebody thought they could run around in the middle of the fucking night, in the forest without her bow and arrows! and nearly drowned us both by falling into the fucking river! I dragged your ass out of there, no one else!" He snapped standing up and fastening his belt.

Inuyasha's memory suddenly clicked in, "And then you have the decency to call me an ass after YOU lose the jewel shard!"

Kagome blinked. "I called you a what?..."

"Keh, you know what you said, you think I forgot? Well guess again missy!" He said narrowing his eyes accusingly.

"I never!" She challenged, but suddenly remembered her small out burst.

"Fine! don't admit it! But thats the last time I fucking save your life! You ungrateful woman!"

Kagome flushed in frustration, she knew he was right. He must have saved her last night from hypothermia from what she remembered of her cold memories. She felt ashamed and embarrassed for calling him an ass, to be fair she didn't even remember saying it till now. Part of her was feeling guilty but the better half was ticked at how hypocritical he was being.

"Look who's talking! You just go off without a word just like last time! You told me you'd bring me back Inuyasha and you've never been late before." She turned her body slightly trying to cover herself with his Haori and was careful not expose herself to him, she stayed close to the wall for the extra cover.

Inuyasha looked down clenching his fist, he knew he was at fault for that, he knew he was supposed to retrieve her from her time and he had forgotten, when he had been talking to Kikyo the night before. But that meant... it's all his fault then?

_'Feh! fat lot it's all my fault! She's just as much to blame!'_ His stubbornness butted in.

"You told me you would stay by my side Inuyasha, and I believed in you." She lowered placing a hand against the wall, her back turned away from him. " When you never came last night I got worried, so I looked for you... I knew who you'd be with, it's not like it was a shocker. But I was scared that you left again, and this time forever." She bit back her tears, "I always had a feeling that the time you left, you had run off to Kikyo. But I thought the group and I meant more to you than that. At least I thought we deserved a good bye."

Closing his eyes to keep cool, he took in a deep breath, _'I have to tell her, maybe then she'll understand...'_

"Kagome that time I left, I didn't go to Kikyo…"

"You're a poor liar Inuyasha." She said bluntly, turning to look at him, her expression bored of his same story. _'It's not like it's the first time he's lied about seeing her'_

Huffing out in frustration he approached her again, "I'm not lying Kagome!"

"Inu-"

Inuyasha's mouth went dry as he struggled to say his next question. "You don't trust me anymore… do you?"

Kagome looked deeply into his eyes, hers shinning with new tears. She let them run down her cheeks and with a small sob she choked out, "No..."

She wiped away her tears furiously with the loose sleeves _'Stop crying Kagome, you've cried enough over him!'_

His heart pierced with pain and he looked at her in shock. "Kagome..."

"I'm sorry Inuyasha" she sniffed, "You're my best friend. I trust you with my life but time and time again you have shown me that I can't entrust you with my heart. I just hurt so much, so much it feels like I can't breathe anymore. Can you please let me breathe?"

His anger started to rise once again but not at her, at himself. '_I didn't know I affected her so much, I never knew I would hurt her like this. Have I waited too long? I un-intentionally toyed with her and now she's going to leave me because she still thinks I'm in love with Kikyo.'_ His mind hissed

_'I'm going to lose her forever because of my weakness... Just like I had with Kikyo. Kagome showed me how to trust again, she shed tears for me, fought for me and bled for me. Now look at what I've done to her.'_

_'Say it, just say it! Suck up your man pride and say what you feel!'_ A voice told him, swallowing hard he knew it was now or never.

"I chose you!" he finally got out. Feeling a little stupid at how blunt it sounded, he regretted not saying something else first. He had hoped that when he had the opportunity do so that he would have discussed this with her more intimately and not as an act of desperation. But like the most part of his life, things he wanted always tended to be just out of reach, making his life alone an endless struggle. The gods truly hated him.

Kagome looked at him unbelieving, blinking twice. "Wh-what?"

He stepped closer to her, "I choose you Kagome"

Her heart leapt in joy, hearing the words she had wanted to hear for as long as she could remember, but part of the moment was ruined by her conflicted emotions. Not sure if he was saying this just to please her, for his own selfishness or that he truly meant it. "Please Inuyasha... Don't." She quivered.

"Kagome I-Chose-You." He persisted.

"Stop! Just please stop!" She yelled covering her face in the Haori.

"Stop what Kagome? Telling you what you wanted to hear! I'm telling you I chose you, isn't that what you wanted!"

Choking out a sob Kagome struggled to hold back her tears "I can't…"

"Can't what Kagome!"

She spoke quietly now, her words lined with hurt as she uncovered her face to look at him. "...I can't do this anymore."

"Can't, can't, can't! Is that all you can say to me Kagome? Your never one to give up on anything, so what happened now!"

"What else do you want me to say Inuyasha? Do you want me to continue just smiling like always and accepting that you love another? You say you chose me but that's a flat out lie, if you chose me you would have said it in front of Kikyo when I asked. But you couldn't even say it... you couldn't even say it in front of her! I'm only human Inuyasha, like you've told me time and time again. A weak human with a weak heart!"

His heart leapt in panic as he felt her pull away, "Kagome, I don't-"

"Why are your hurting me?" She pleaded, "Why can't you just let me go, it's obvious that you want her and not me, so why can't you let me go!"

"I wont let you go!" He declared

She gasped, her heart looking to him for the truth but she felt helpless in her unsuccessful search of anything but unknown determination from his eyes.

_'He's not serious. He's too afraid to give me up, like I'm afraid to give him up'._ But she wasn't even sure she believed herself.

She bit her lip hard, almost enough to draw blood. Had she really lost so much hope in him? She had never felt this much confusion and uncertainty towards Inuyasha; she didn't know what to believe anymore.

Still feeling defensive she came to her own conclusion, "You can't decide between us can you?" She bit out. "You can't choose between me and Kikio so you keep me at bay. Who ever is more convenient for you to stand by am I right?"

"Bitch, aren't you listening to a single word I'm saying?"

_'Mate'_ His demon finally piped up _'Mark her as mine, mark her now she is ripe and ready for me!'_

And with that he broke.

"I left because of you!" He admitted loudly

Kagome gasped looking back up at him.

"The time I left, I left because of you Kagome. I promised I wouldn't hurt you-'"

"How dare you!" She said breathlessly "HOW DARE YOU BLAME THIS ON ME! I CAN'T HELP HOW I FEEL FOR YOU!"

He'd had enough of her irrational thoughts he was now absolutely determined to make her listen. His future mate would come to understand the circumstance, even if it kill him in the process.

"God damn it Kagome, you're making this so fucking hard!" He yelled making her freeze, he had never taken this kind of tone with her.

"I'm not blaming you for anything!" He grabbed onto her shoulders and made her focus on him. "I left because my demon chose you Kagome, it wanted me to do something that I didn't know if you would want... I mean-it wanted me to…" He paused he couldn't up right and tell her that his demon wanted to mark her as his, or take her as his. None of this was how he wanted to explain to her. But his mouth kept moving "I sought out Miyoga to ask him questions... I left for your safety! I left because I promised I would protect you even if it was from myself! I chose you long ago Kagome, and that's why I never came. I knew Kikyo was in the area last night, I knew she had come to speak with Kaedey and I wanted to tell her first, I needed to finally tell her so I could go on with my life! She deserved that much!"

She stared up at him with wide eyes filled with hurt and glimmering hope. "Inu-"

"Tell me to sit Kagome, tell me to sit until the earth swallows me whole. Hate me, hit me, I don't care. Because if you leave thats what I want... I can't... I won't lose you," he whispered into her ear. "I know it's too much to ask but I need you to trust me again. I don't care how long it takes, just please... trust me."

She stood in shock "Inu-yasha..." feeling her emotions well up in her, she damn near shattered in his arms. Sobbing into his shoulder she felt him loosen his grip on her and smoothly snake his arms around her waist holding her close.

_'I do trust you Inuyasha, it just hurts right now. I can't hate you, I wont ever hate you… I love you.'_ She thought to herself not sure if she was brave enough to have those words come out of her mouth yet. She just held onto him tighter, crying harder, so confused on what to say or think.

They stood silently in each others embrace until Kagome finally spoke again.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yes" he whispered wanting to hear her say anything.

"I'm sorry I never listen to you. It's just that-"

"Keh, damn straight your sorry. You never let me get one word in wench, and then you go act all crazy!"

"I-I'm sorry" she lowered.

"I don't want to hear it woman. I've told you that I've chosen you and thats all there is too it"

She pulled away slightly to look at him "Is it really that simple after all these years? what about Kikyo, and what will become of her and you?"

"She lives on for the soul purpose of destroying Naraku and to getting rid of the shikon jewel once and for all. Kagome... Kikyo no longer desires me to join her in hell if that's what your worried about. She renounced that long ago and I no longer want any of that. We both only wish for the other to be happy. Kikyo is no longer of this world I have come to terms with this as hard as it was and still is. But know this Kagome, I won't put Kikyo over you ever again, she chose her own path and as long as it did take for me, I finally chose the right path."

_'The right path?…'_ Kagome thought thinking of her mothers words, _'is it as easy as that to choose another path after so many mistakes?'_

"Whats there to say she won't want it again, and you'll go to her."

Sighing, he was now exasperated by his constant pleas for her to trust in him, "I won't, Kagome I promise."

"I feel so selfish It's not fair that you to have to choose between something like this. I'm sorry I was so… so uncontrollable. It just-"

"Can you just be happy for a moment Kagome? Kikyo and I were mutual on this. You shouldn't have to feel bad for anyone, you care to much about others and not of yourself."

Pulling away to look down to her, his eyes searching for her warmth and trust she once had in him, and he saw it. A light glimmer in her eye caught him and pulled him in closer. Looking down at her lips and then back at her now half lidded eyes.

"Inu…Yasha"

She could feel her heart beat rise and her cheeks glow in the rising warmth in her stomach as he leaned closer.

"Listen Kagome your not weak and you have the strongest heart I've ever known." He whispered gently, not taking his eyes off her. "You showed me how to trust in people once more and now your trust in me has faltered. I feel selfish for doing that to you... I'm so sorry," he embraced her tighter. "I'm sorry for all I've done to hurt you."

He gazed deeply into her soul with his swirling honey eyes, something in them was so different then she had ever seen before. The complete tranquility they had calmed her storming emotions and cleared her mind.

_'What is he? Oh...'_ She blushed as he leaned ever closer, _'Were so close and were all alone...'_ and with that thought she drifted.

Kagome's body set ablaze realizing what was going to happen, she could feel his breath lingering over hers.  
>His heart pounded in his ears, his soul yearned for the woman before him and he knew she wanted him just as badly. He could feel her body quivering under his touch as his hand right hand lightly cupped the side of her cheek, and with that there body temperatures rose with excitement. Her scent was intoxicating, it made his senses feel high and al her thoughts were suddenly lost into her. Inuyasha couldn't even understand how she made him feel so, He could even taste her on his tongue, she was sweet, addiction and he hadn't even kissed her yet. His instincts told him that he had to close the last inch of distance between them. He held his breath, nervous that he may scare her away with doing anything to abrupt but he went in for the kill anyway.<p>

There lips touched and sent shocks through their systems. It was a feeling neither Kagome or Inuyasha had ever felt, it was a pure loving light. There was a slight hesitation on both parts as they touched, but the kiss seemed so natural for the two. It was an all new experience so they held still as stone, as if both were taking the time to memorize the feeling. Their gently lingering brush of the lips felt like everything was coming together for once between them.

_'It never felt like this, the first time I kissed Kik...'_ his mind absently thought but it quickly drifted away as her sent spiked and he became all to aware of her body's aura surrounding him. His demon growled in approval within.

_'My first real kiss and it's with Inuyasha'_ She thought, tears streaming down her face. She had known for the longest time that her first real kiss was owned by Inuyasha and Inuyasha alone. Her eyes drifted shut as she gently pressed herself into his touch, relaxing her body and whimpering softly against him. He pressed back welcoming her essence.

Inuyasha smelt her tears and reluctantly pulled away looking down at her with concerned eyes. Was there something wrong? Had he scared her? No, she didn't smell afraid.

Her name came out in a heated breath, "Kagome?"

She looked up a him with her passionate warm eyes, her pink lips and rosy cheeks reminding him of the tender kiss they just shared. She did not look upset nor angry at him, she emanated a pure feeling, a loving feeling towards him. Something he wanted to keep forever.

Her body had screamed in protest as he pulled away almost whimpering out loud, Kagome felt as though she was close to combusting from her fiery stomach flutters. She stared up at his golden orbs that analyzed her carefully. _'He think's something's wrong.'_ She smiled at his concern.

Whispering his name so gently, "Inuyasha"

He blushed hard "Did- did I do something wrong. Did I hurt you? Did-"

She shook her head slightly silencing his nervous stammering.

"No" she spoke brokenly and began to whimper softly.

His ears flattened "Y-your crying?"

He didn't know what to do to console her, he mentally panicked _'I'm an idiot, I fucked up bad... b-but what did I do?'_ Staring down at her shaded eyes covered by her bangs he felt like an idiot for not knowing how to console her.

Kagome took a sharp breath to cry out, "I'm sorry I doubted you Inuyasha!"

He breathed in relief _'That's why she's crying?'_

His eyes softened and he sighed "Kagome please don't cry." He took her chin and slowly tilted her up.

Her bottom lip trembled, her eyes glistened beautifully in the morning light and her tears added a sweet sense of vulnerability to her that attracted him in a strange way. Her hair was wild and untamed and her body felt warm moulded against him. He wiped her tears away with his index finger whispering soothingly, "Don't cry for me Kagome, I don't deserve it."

"I love you" She whispered breathlessly.

He gasped, her words caught him off guard, "You- you what?"

More tears ran down her face but she smiled warmly, "I love you Inuyasha. I always have and always will."

"Kagome... I-I..."

He felt tongue tied and unprepared. _'Should I say it back?'_ His heart beat was frantic. _'I can say it, I gotta say it... just say it!'_

His mouth flapped open like a cloth in the wind and hushed out air like so.

_'God damn why can't I say it!'_ He growled at himself, he knew he wasn't use to this kinship of emotion, He swore he'd stay bye her side and protect her with his life. There wasn't much more a man really needed to say other than to lay claim on his woman. But Kagome was special, she would hear those words from him for the first time. But why? Why couldn't he speak the words he wanted to say to her now?

She shook her head and placed a finger lightly against his lips. "Say it when your ready Inuyasha."

Frowning a little he protested "But I am re-"

"When your truly ready" she insisted gently.

He looked down into her glowling loveing eyes _'If I can't tell her now I'll just show her'_

With that he crushed his lips against hers and she welcomed him feverishly, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him close. The fold of his Haori slipped open ever so slightly to accentuate the fullness of her breasts but her mind was so focused on him that she barely even notice or else she would have otherwise covered up her modesty.

His hands slowly roamed her body and he grew bolder with each passing minute. Inuyasha wanted to feel every last inch of her, every memory of watching her bathe slowly did not do her body justice. Her curves were sensual, Intimidating, and Inviting. Kagame really had developed into a woman right before his very eyes over the years he'd known her and now he was slowly losing himself to her spiking arousal.

_'F-fuck'_ He thought in awe at the little reactions her body had when he touched her gently at the small of her back, her hip, her stomach... Her dazed brain could barely comprehend exactly what her body was reacting too, the feelings were frightening and exciting to Kagome. _'What is he doing to me?'_

Their kiss deepened and he dared to part her mouth with his tongue.

She welcomed it, eagerly relishing in the amazing new sensation running through her as their tongues smoothly dance against one another. Moaning into him he explored every inch of her mouth and she meekly complied with him, hesitantly trying to take some boldness of her own and running her tongue against his fangs. It sent an exciting jolt through her and earned a groan from Inuyasha as the pool in her stomach grew stronger.

_'Oh no, he can smell... th-that!'_ she realized as he seemed to react more when she would feel the familiar sensation below grow more heated.

Kagome's hesitation and shyness nearly overwhelmed her burning desires as soon as he clasped her now exposed left breast and kneaded it gently between his fingers. It was almost too much for her but his hands roamed all over her body, one now grazing the flesh of her belly and the other underneath, lifting her to press her against his bare chest. She felt as though she were gliding through the clouds and then landed gently onto the chilly wooden ground.

He had easily lifted her and lowered her to the floor, crawling over her in animalistic perusal he acted on his instincts alone and was completely lost in the motions of her body.

_'Oh god were so close, and I'm practically naked. This is so embarrassing! I can't believe were doing this!'_ She thought through her haze.

His clawed hand grazed her inner thigh and it snapped her back to reality, he trailed a claw closer, closer, closer...

Her virgin side finally got the better of her and she tore her mouth away to protest but suddenly he latched onto her neck suckling tenderly and rendering her mute.

His hand moved on its own he could feel his demon blood boil and a voice far away telling him to stop. But the woman beneath him, his mate, was reacting to him so deliciously. Her small groans as he touched her goaded his dangerous presual. His instincts knew all to well what she needed and who was he to protest?

_**'My bitch'**_ The demon growled. Inuyasha could feel his fangs throb painfully. Something about the pulse of her neck currently at his mouths attention drew him to the thought of his fangs against her.

_**'Claim her pure blood.'**_ The demon repeated.

His growl rumbled against her neck and she awoke from her euphoria.

"Ah, Wait Inu-" Closing her legs instinctively she trapped his hand between her thighs and she croaked out a gasp. "Inu-Inuyasha s-stop!"

Her shaking voice and gentle hands against his chest brought him back from his demon state.

He pulled away from her neck and heaved for air struggling to regain his control against her breast. _'Fuck, I almost got too carried away!'_ he could now smell her anxiety _'I almost... and she's not ready...damn it.'_ He raked his claws from his free right hand against the wood beside her nearly breaking up the floorboard. He growled realizing what his demon had been wanting.

_**'Claim her pure blood,'**_ it no doubtably meant her virgin blood. _'I was so close to marking her_.' He thought in disbelief, realizing the throb of his fangs were all too real.

Kagome stared up at the sealing gasping for breath all-to self aware of the hand trapped between her upper thighs and his heated breath against her goose fleshed chest. She slightly relaxed and his hand slinked away from her and rested it at her side to hold himself up over her.

"I'm s-sorry Inuyasha. I-I've never... I'm just...scared." She stuttered in her humiliation, covering her face with the back of her arm unable to deal with what had just happened_. 'Oh, no that sounded stupid. He hates me, he hates me! I can't believe I just did that!'_

Inuyasha flushed face burning red at the admission of her virginity, and he was all to aware of that factor, '_She's was scared... How could I be so careless, how could I let this go too far. She doesn't even understand what almost happened'_ his thought raged with guilt _'She's scared... of me.'_

Figuring it was best not to tell her he suddenly felt a wash of guilt for almost taking advantage of her. Although he truly did not mean to go so far, He couldn't control himself. "No Kagome, you don't have to apologize. I'm sorry I-I got carried away... forgive me." He lowered.

_'I'm deplorable,'_ his conscience butted in over powering the angered demon within him telling him to _**'Mark her!**_

Past voices plagued him at the moment _**'Filthy half breed!'**_

His soul never felt so low _**'You mother was nothing but a demon whore!'**_

Those memories scarred him, and now for some reason he felt as though he were now throwing Kagome into a situation she didn't want to be in. How would people treat her if she were to be with him? Inuyasha had never thought of that before until now. _'Damn it...I'm so selfish... I never thought about what would happen to Kagome if she were to be with me...'_

"Inuyasha?" she meekly asked

_'I nearly marked her without permission, I might as well have almost raped her'_ his gut wrenched at the thought.

Sitting up and bringing her with him he pulled her into his arms to sit between his legs and out of respect for her modesty, took the folds of his kimono and covered her securely.

Surprised by his auras sudden change she recognized the emotion it emanated, it felt so... guilty. He must have smelt her fear when he had touched her so close to her...

Blushing at his abrupt movement knowing he would see her naked body, she noticed his eyes were casted away from her shamefully. She frowned, _'He's upset?'_

He pulled her into an embrace from behind she smiled as he covered her with the Kimono that she still loosely wore. "Inuyasha?"

"I'm sorry" he whispered

Leaning back against him to show some comfort she took his left hand and draped it under her bust, implying that she wanted him to embrace her and to show she wasn't upset with him.

"It's ok Inuyasha, you didn't hurt me" she blushed to herself as she took his hand into hers and absently traced the palm of the hand that caused her such a frenzy.

He shifted uncomfortably, "But... you were scared."

He rested his chin on her shoulder and watched as she lightly touched his hand and intertwined there fingers.

"A little," she admitted coyly. "But not of you! Just... scared of what I was feeling."

Squirming a little Kagome closed her eyes tightly _'I can't believe I just said that to him!'_

"Kagome... are you sure you want to be with me?" he suddenly asked

Kagome felt as if she were punched in the gut, was he already regretting his decision?

"W-what do you mean" She asked afraid of saying anything else.

"I mean... do you want to be with a halfbreed?" Inuyasha tensed "I mean, I heard what people would say about my mother... I just... I don't know if I can put you through that."

Kagome thought for a moment _'He's scared for me?'_ Feeling his emotions turn to fear. _'He thinks that people would hurt me if I were to be with him...'_ She thought sadly thinking of Inuyasha's mother, and what Inuyasha must have experienced with her... she didn't even want to imagine.

"...and you didn't think of this before?" She simply said

"Well no... not really" He lowered

Kagome squeezed his hand gently, Inuyasha squeezed back. "I love you for the way you are Inuyasha, I don't care what others would think."

He swallowed hard, "But-"

"No but's, I said I don't care and I mean it, people can say what they want. I know you are just worried because of how your mother was treated...aren't you?" she felt him nod his answer against her shoulder.

"Well I'm stronger then that Inuyasha, you know you shouldn't take me so lightly." she said matter-of-factly.

He smiled sadly "I don't"

"good"

"Kagome."

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

she blushed and leaned heavier against his weight.

After a while his nerves finally calmed down. _'This feel's nice'_ Inuyasha couldn't remembered the last time he felt so... relaxed.

They stayed like that for a time, relishing in the feeling of each others warmth.

_'Were finally together.'_ She thought with a smile.

_'My Kagome'_ Inuyasha and his demon agreed.

_'But we wont truly be able to live happily until Naraku is defeated, but this is more then enough for now. I'm happy with just this.'_ Kagome sighed happily.

A shadowed suddenly dawned over Kagome's new found happiness _'Wait, defeating Naraku?... The Jewel!'_

"Oh my god!" She suddenly exclaimed.

"Ouch!" Inuyasha hissed as her sudden movement bumped his chin and made him bite his own tongue. "What, what is it?"

"The jewel!" Kagome said frantically turning to face him, "I lost the jewel!"

Inuyasha looked at her dumbly, tongue sticking out. "Yeah, I was there" he grumbled.

"Inuyasha were just sitting around and-" Kagome suddenly noticed something on the floor close to them. She picked up the tattered carcass of her skirt.

Her eye twitched "M-my new uniform..." she looked around to see more remnants of her clothes, her bra and underwear. Luckily she found her blouse and blazer decently intact, just a few rips here and there.

"Uh Yeah, Kagome I had to take it off, you were soaking wet... I-I didn't know what else to do!" Inuyasha explained frantically.

Picking up her bra and panties her eye twitched again, "With your claws." She said through clenched teeth.

Squeezing the cloths in her fist she looked to the ceiling in anger, _'Mama's going to kill me!'_

Looking at her like a child who got caught doing something he shouldn't, Inuyasha hesitantly moved closer to her. "Kagome?"

"We'll talk about this later." She said rather darkly, standing up and fastening his haori more securely around her waist.

Inuyasha twitched, _'crap she's mad.'_ He watched her get up and could feel her aura radiating off her. '_Yup really mad. And here I thought we could have just sit here like this with each other for the rest of our days'_

Kagome noticed all her things scattered on the ground next to her bag making her shoulders sink lower, she knelt down to pick up her favourite pocket mirror only to have shards of glass fall out. Mournfully tossing it away, she picked out the little things that were salvageable within the slop of dried papers like her comb, extra (wet) pair of underwear, socks, and a few other things.

Kagome grabbed her yellow bag, _'Don't look inside Kagome, don't look inside.'_ but she couldn't help herself, opening the straps she gazed into the dismal slop of ruined papers and books. _'All my notes!'_ She thought with a tear.

Picking up the Tetsuaiga where it had dropped last night without his notice and securing it in his belt, Inuyasha watched as Kagome slowly went deeper into a sad shadow of despair. He came to stand behind her solemnly saying, "I'm sorry about your things Kagome."

"No, no it's not your fault." She laughed sadly throwing out all destroyed materials in from her bag onto the floor, and putting back in anything that was reusable.

Inuyasha picked up her blouse and shoes, giving them to her hesitantly. She took them without a word and shoved the blouse and blazer into her bag, slipping on her shoes quickly. She turned to face him again and Kagome suddenly flushed at how close he had gotten to her once again.

"Umm, I never did thank you for saving me." She said timidly.

He snorted crossing his arms, "Keh! You need to not be so clumsy wench."

Kagome leaned up, placed a hand on his chest and slowly rose up to her tip toes. She pecked him gently on the lips and whipered. "Thank you."

A blush spread across his face "K-Keh"

She just smiled and pulled away looking down bashfully for making such a bold move. Suddenly turning to the door she took a more serious tone, and stopped just in front of the entrance, "Let's go find that jewel."

Inuyasha nodded "Right, Lets go!"

...

A/N:

Hi there! thanks for reading! the first few chapters are going to start off a little slow so bear with me, the story line will develop soon enough. I probably should have warned you that my grammar is horrendous! I'm currently looking for a beta reader but it's my first time writing on this website so I still have to figure some things out.

Few things: This story is a bit different, Kagome is now in her last year of high school hence the new uniform I have included, which is much like the one she has in the anime's final act. She has only one jewel shard left with her leaving only Kohaku's and Koga's (2) left to retrieve. I haven't even really pin pointed where in the anime my story starts. So I'm just gunna go with my own flow and say "what ever happens happens."

Sorry for any confusion for the hard core fans out there. PLEASE REVIEW!


	3. Blood, The Sun and The Water

**CHAPTER 3:**

-Blood, The Sun and The Water-

Pushing off the ground, Inuyasha quickened his pace through the bushes and trees. They had been running through the forest most of the morning, Inuyasha had taken Kagome up on his back like usual to make the search go faster but the initial few minutes of being so close together was quite intimidating. Having just revealed their feelings to each other earlier that morning, they were still seemingly coming down from the high of their tender kiss, every time Inuyasha would look back at Kagome her face would explode in a fiery blush making him smirk. He didn't think he would get used to the idea of being able to kiss Kagome whenever he wished, in fact he wanted too right now. Kagome's little tester this morning was so shocking to his senses, but the jewel couldn't wait, he had to hold back the urge to grab her as she stepped out of the hut earlier and kiss her senselessly. But his new feelings would still need some getting use to, he couldn't go around thinking about those things all the time no matter how much Kagome's aura seemed to call out to him.

_'I haven't actually even asked her to be my mate.'_ He thought in mild concern. _'Will she even understand what it means? Humans call it marriage but being mated is something completely different. I would have to mark her, that bond is unbreakable, and what if she doesn't want that?'_

He didn't wan't to think of that right now, everything was still too fresh. His questions would be answered in time, plus he needed to focus on finding the jewel before someone else found did. Getting back to the river was easy enough for Inuyasha, he was good at tracking his own path. He ran along the edge of the cliff before the drop into the river, being mindful of the difficult muddy footing he had not wanting to make the same mistake as last night and fall into the raging water.

"Feel anything yet Kagome?" He asked over his shoulder.

"Nuh uh," She said berrying her face into his back. "I'm sorry Inuyasha, this is all my fault, if I hadn't come out to look for you..."

"Thats enough of that!" He barked. "We'll find it all right so stop you're moping"

Kagome pressed her lips trying to contain her slight irritation at his tone, she knew he was just trying to comfort her in his own special way. _'He could be a little nicer, but I guess I can't have everything, and it's my fault for losing the jewel anyway.'_

"Ok" she mumbled

Somehow understanding her emotions he could sense her feel worse, _'You could be a little nicer to her ya know'_ his conscience growled.

"Kagome-"

Suddenly tightening her arms around his neck Kagome gasped, "Inuyasha I sense!-"

The sudden out burst and the realization that Kagome's breasts were firmly pressed against his back made Inuyasha lose his footing... Smashing face first he somehow managed to slide across the forest floor for a few painful meters. Kagome just sat on top of him and stared down at the back of his head in utter confusion.

Blinking innocently she asked "Uhh, what happened Inuyasha?"

Spitting out a mouthful of dirt, Inuyasha grumbled out. "You're what happened."

She flushed. "M-me?"

"Yeah you!"

"Uh, sorry?" she responded timidly, but was not quite sure what she was apologizing for.

Confused at what had just happened Kagome jumped off his back quickly and stepped away while Inuyasha picked himself up. Kagome noticed the red spreading across his face, he obviously was thinking about something embarrassing from the way he shied away from her.

_'Did I do something? Why won't he just tell me?'_

_'That woman is gunna kill me!'_ He blushed harder, with his distant thoughts thinking of her full curvaceous body. He never felt her like that against him before. _'It was that damn thing she wears that I broke... her b-rah? Yeah! That's why I never felt them before!'_ He thought miserably knowing it was his own fault for getting so distracted.

_'You know you're only distracted so much by her because it's almost spring.'_ His conscience told him.

Looking back at her with curious eyes he met her equally bright orbs staring at him intently, they both turned away quickly.

_'Oh gosh,'_ She thought holding onto her stomach lightly with one hand as the flutters returned very suddenly. _'He makes me feel like a love struck little girl.'_

_'Why are we like this! This is stupid,'_ Inuyasha thought feeling his uncontrollable emotions to be quite bothersome at the moment, _'You're acting like a woman!'_

Snapping back to reality Kagome shook her head, "Oh, Inuyasha! I felt the jewel shard, we have to hurry before we lose it again!"

He looked back at her in surprise. "What? You sensed it!"

Kagome started to run towards the shards energy and hollered over her shoulder, "Yeah, I tried telling you before but you tripped! Hurry Inuyasha it's fading!"

Pouting a little he growled out, "I didn't trip!" But she obviously didn't hear him.

"Oi wench! Don't just run off without me!" He yelled taking off in a sprint behind her.

A sudden rumble stopped the two. The ground shook so fiercely that Kagome fell backwards in to the dirt.

"Ouch" She cringed rubbing her side.

Inuyasha growled and held his stance, his focus shifting to the depth of the forest on the right. _'Something is coming this way.'_

The ground suddenly burst into large mounds of dirt as if an explosion had jus occurred not too far from them. Coming forth from the debris was a large Mole demon sneering and clawing out from the ground, nearly taking out a small mountains worth of earth. Kagome gawked at its size, sitting in fear she didn't even register the debris of rocks, broken trees and dirt falling from above.

A silver and red flash swooped her up as a boulder smashed in her place.

"What the fuck are you doing just sitting there!" Inuyasha barked while dodging the raining debris.

She looked up at him in shock. "Wh-what was that?"

Inuyasha stopped and looked back at the demon, it was huge! He had never seen a lowly demon so large, how did he not sense something of this size? _'Its scent must have been masked by the dirt'._

This has to be a Mole king, it was too large to be a mere mole demon Inuyasha concluded. It's squinted eyes were tightly closed, it's snarled and sniffed the air furiously, the claws were the size of a whole tree and they tore into the earth as it tried to pull its self out of the ground.

"Jewel shard!" The demon's voice roared.

"It senses the jewel!" Kagome growled

"Keh, if that thing thinks it's getting our jewel shard, it's sorely wrong." Inuyasha smirked pulling out the Tetsuaiga which erupted in a glowing light to reveal the mighty fang.

The mole demon, though eyes still closed, focused its attention to the couple. "Weak halfbreed, you think you can stop me?" Its voice boomed.

_'So it know's we're here.'_ Kagome thought.

"Heh, I don't think I know." Inuyasha laughed mockingly.

_'Oh brother...'_ Kagome sighed inwardly at his overly cocky remark, though she didn't have a doubt in her mind that he would finnish the demon off quickly.

"Inuyasha the jewel, It's moving away!" Kagome whispered, just loud enough for him to hear.

Nodding, he understood her haste and turned his attention back to his new opponent. "I don't have time for this," Inuyasha scoffed. Lifting the sword high above his head, he brought it down swiftly calling out his attack, "WIND SCAR!"

The four slashed attack made it's fiery path towards the mole which had slowly lifted it's clawed paw. The mole demon didn't seem to show any concern, bringing down it's claws with a mighty force smothering the fire away under its paw and creating a gust of wind which knocked down the two.

Struggling to stand on her own, Kagome gaped up towards the demon. "It just smashed out the wind scar like it was nothing!"

"So it's gunna put up more of a fight then huh?" Inuyasha growled picking himself up. "I guess I'll just have to cut off its head."

Tightening the hold on the hilt of Tetsuaiga he moved the sword to his side ready to attack. "Kagome stay back!" He said dashing forward.

The demon took a long swing at him, but taking to the air Inuyasha dodged it easily and came down to cut off a chunk of its paw. The demon lashed out fearfully, screaming out in pain, swinging it's other paw it nearly tearing close to Kagome who called out in fear as she 'hit the deck' nearly getting decapitated.

_'Oh god that was close!'_ She thought frantically, '_What can I do? If only I had my bow and arrows I could purify the demon right away!'_

"Wench I told you to stay out of the way!" Inuyasha yelled from where he was, turning back to the demon, it snarled in pain.

"You damn halfbreed! You'll pay for that!"

Inuyasha didn't take the time to make a decent comeback, he needed to get rid of this demon fast, or jewel was going to be lost again, and he undoubtably knew that if it could attract this demon it would attract more soon.

The demon swatted and slammed it's arms around trying to catch the swift moving Inuyasha. He suddenly seemed to have disappeared, the demon looked around dumbly and in its frustration it brought it's paws down hard against the earth once again, breaking up the ground like an earthquake would.

"Above you idiot!" Inuyasha yelled bringing down the sword against the back of its neck not even giving it a chance to steer its head.

The demon screeched out as Inuyasha cleaved its head off easily, gargling on its own blood that flowed out like a red waterfall the head rolled off crushing a small area of trees.

Landing on its back, Inuyasha basked in triumph sheathing the Tetsuiga in one swift motion. "Heh, no sweat" He smirked.

"INUYASHA!"

Kagome's distressed call got his attention instantly. "Kagome?" He looked around for her wildly.

He gasped realizing that the demons last blow had taken out the edge of the cliff crumbling yards into ruins, allowing it to fall off the side and down into the river. His heart stopped and his sweat ran cold as he watch Kagome helplessly fall with the rest of the earth over the edge.

"KAGOME!"

"INUYASHAAAAA!" She screamed but her voice died away as she fell further and finally hit the water far below.

Jumping off the carcass he flew off the edge down to the rushing water to save Kagome...

...

Kilala soared through the morning sky.

"Are you sure their sent ended in the River Shippo?" Sango asked the fox kit in front of her who was holding onto the fir of Kilala's mane.

"I'm positive! They must have fallen into the river last night!" He yelled over the wind.

"What could have caused that?" Miroku mused.

"We'll I did smell Kikio's faint sent earlier" Shippo lowered _'Grrr! That Inuyasha, knowing him he got caught doing something stupid!'_

Sango frowned growling to herself aswell, "That Inuyasha, Kagome must have seen them together last night and ran."

'Kagome.' She thought sadly. "I knew I should have gone with her... You should have just told the truth Miroku!"

Miroku flinched as Sango's inevitable wrath but Shippo suddenly chimed in to his rescue.

"But why would they end up in the river?" Shippo wondered.

Something still didn't sit right with Miroku, "Inuyasha's stronger then that, he could have easily gotten them out of the water."

The group pondered for a moment.

"We've been going down the river for hours, you think that we would have picked up on something by now." Sango said worryingly.

Miroku nodded in agreement towards his fiance. "Sango's right Shippo, do you think we should keep going down the river? They could have moved on long ago."

"What do you think Kilala?" Shippo asked

Kilala growled out something softly that the humans obviously didn't understand.

"Me too..." Shippo nodded. "I don't know what it is but, I just have this feeling..."

Sango nodded too looking up towards the river valley. "All right, I don't doubt you Shippo. We'll find them soon."

Shippo looked down sadly into the rushing water. "I hope so"

Kilala suddenly demanded their attention with a soft growl, "What is it Kilala?" Sango asked

"Oh, look!" Shippo gaped in awe.

Kilala slowed but did not stop, and the group stared at the carnage before them.

"A mole demon?" Sango asked

"Yes, it look's to be what was once one." Miroku mused

"It's huge!" Shippo exclaimed

"Oh my, it is quite large..." Sango agreed staring intently at the carcass being picked by buzzards. "Something cut its head clean off."

Miroku nodded sternly. "That has to be the work of Inuyasha's Tetsuiga."

Shippo sniffed the air lightly steering his head left and right trying to focus on something.

"Their scents are faint but they were definitely here not too long ago." Shippo said

A sense shot though Miroku making him tense, he knew what it was instantly. "Sango..."

Looking over to him she suddenly realized what had caught his attention, she could feel the presence of a jewel shard very faintly. "I feel it too Miroku."

"You guys sense a jewel shard?" Shippo asked hopefully. "Do you think it's Kagome's?"

"It has to be," Sango said patting Kilala on the side. "Please hurry Kilala, were close."

Shippo smiled optimistically, "Where ever the shard is, Inuyasha and Kagome are bound to be there!"

They rode through the air swiftly picking up as much ground as they possibly could, Shippo nearly held on for dear life. They all scanned the water frantically.

"Do you think they've been running into some trouble because of it?" Miroku asked

"Hmm, if the jewel can attract something as big as that mole demon back there I'm sure they've been running into all sorts of trouble." Sango said.

"Sango, Miroku! Look!" Shippo exclaimed pointing to the water.

They gasped at the sight of Inuyasha struggling to stay afloat in the raging waters.

"Inuyasha!" Sango called out.

Struggling to look up without being pulled under Inuyasha spotted them swooping in from above. "You guy's!"

"Kilala lets go to him!" Sango pleaded quickly.

Getting close to Inuyasha they plucked him out from the frigid water.

"Inuyasha, you all right?" Shippo asked in concern.

"Hang in there" Miroku grunted struggling to pull the soaking wet half demon onto Kilala's back.

Barely able to hold onto Miroku's arm Inuyasha gasped for breath.

"We. *breathe* Have. *breathe* to keep going... K-Kagome..."

Sango gasped "Inuyasha where's Kagome?"

"In... *cough* the... water."

"Kilala!" Sango commanded and the sabre toothed cat roared dashing faster through the air.

"Guy's I smell blood!" Shippo suddenly announced.

"Blood?" Miroku and Sango gasped in unison.

Inuyasha's Demon soul stirred wildly within him, "That's Kagome's blood!" Inuyasha exclaimed.

...

Kagome struggled to hold on to the piece of drift wood she had managed to grab onto after she emerged from her fall. Her head felt like it was split in two, she barely had the autonomic functions to breathe and maintain a proper heart beat. She was torn up pretty bad from the fall, the debris had managed to be swept away with her but not without dealing some blows on the way down, part of her asked how she survived the fall or how she was even still conscious.

"Inu-yasha!" She forcefully screamed needing to take a few moments to muster his name out of her mouth more coherently, "INUYASHA!"

Spitting up water she collapsed onto the driftwood in exhaustion. _'How do I get myself in these situations?'_ She asked herself.

Kagome was an excellent swimmer, if she put all her life energy into it she could possibly reach the shore herself, but she didn't have a doubt in her mind that her right leg was broken. It pulsed a numbing pain, she couldn't seem to move it at all, and any sharp movements always earned her a strange stabbing fire that literally made her want to pass out from it's white hot intensity. Her bag was also posing as a problem, it threatened to drag her down each time she was hit by a thrash of water, but she didn't dare let go of the pathetic piece of wood barely holding her frail body above the rapids.

She had tried to out run the crumbing earth beneath her, but the Demons blow shook the ground, making it hard to escape. If only she had been more useful to Inuyasha in dispatching the damned thing, she only proved to be a nuisance once again, always getting in the way and losing the jewel shard. It was all her fault, and now he was probably worried sick over her, she could only imagine what he must be going through.

Another thought also worried her, _'He would drown himself in the process to find me if he had to.'_

Flowing backwards blind of where she was going she suddenly hit a rock from behind full force, screaming out in pain her body went limp, as the driftwood broke against her. She was lucky that her back pack had at least softened the full brunt of the blow, but it didn't do much to ease the pain.

She was pulled under as she slipped away from the rock, _'Is this how it ends? No, this can't be...'_ She protested but her body wouldn't move as it knocked against other large rocks beneath the water.

Cringing in pain her eyes slowly started to close but something had caught her eye, the intense pain all over her body blocked out any other thing that Kagome would normally sense, but this familiar glow pulled her away from her agony for a moment. She stared at whatever was flowing along not to far ahead of her. _'The Jewel...'_

The last of her air escaped her lungs as she could no longer hold it in, feeling a harsh shadow of darkness creep up she couldn't help but let a small sad smile play on her lips.

_'So this is it?'_ She thought tiredly as her body sunk lower into the river, nearly dragging along the bottom, _'...At least I told Inuyasha... That I love him..."_

And with that, the river took her.

...

"KAGOME!" Inuyasha yelled above the rushing water, as well as the rest of the group who called out for their lost friend, her name echoing off the walls of the trench.

"What if she was dragged under..." Shippo sniffed, struggling to hold back tear's.

"Kagome is strong and an excellent swimmer too, I'm sure she's fine Shippo." Sango tried to reassure but she was stricken with her own fear.

_'There has been no sign of Kagome so far, what if the worst has happened, what if...'_ Sango bit her lip, she suddenly felt a soft hand against her shoulder.

"Have hope Sango." Miroku said softly.

Sango swallowed hard and nodded with a faint smile_.'Yes we must have hope, hope for Inuyasha aswell'_ She thought looking back at the distraught looking half demon.

_'Kagome, where are you?'_ A nervous sweat dripped down his face. He could smell it, the scent of her blood was lightly mixed in the water. Clenching his fist until it shook he almost couldn't take the wait anymore. "KAGOME! WHERE ARE YOU DAMN IIIIIIT!" His voiced raged startling the group.

They all looked back at him in worry.

"Inuyasha" Shippo whispered.

"This is my fault, I let her get in harms way!" He bit out roughly.

"Blaming yourself won't do you any good Inuyasha," Miroku glowered over to his comrade. "Kagome wouldn't approve, might I add. Right now we just have to focus on finding her, all right?"

Inuyasha didn't pay much attention to what Miroku had to say, Miroku knew he wasn't listening, he knew him too well. In fact Miroku knew that no one knew Inuyasha like he did. He was like a brother to him, and he knew Inuyasha felt the same way, and right now he could see a pain and worry in Inuyasha's eyes that he had only ever once seen before. His features looked much like the time they had all been poisoned by Rankotsu from the band of seven, when he had thought they all died, but this time he looked worse, had something changed between him and Kagome?

_'He'll keep blaming himself until he know she's ok,'_ He thought. _'I would ask how they came into this situation but now wouldn't be the best time for Inuyasha to talk, though I know Sango must be curious too.'_ He glanced over to his fiance, her face showed that she was lost in her thoughts aswell.

_'Those rapids don't look good'_ Shippo thought _'Kagome's strong but she's only human...'_

"THERE!" Sango suddenly exclaimed pointing to the river.

A small piece of yellow emerged to the surface, and Kagome slowly turned in the water, her lifeless body now floating.

"Oh no, guys look up ahead!" Shippo suddenly yelled

Looking up they all gasped at the sight. The river seemed to end into nothing but blue sky.

"A waterfall!" Miroku gasped.

_'Kagome! Were not going to make it in time!'_ Inuyasha thought in panic.

"Quick Kilala she's going to be pulled over!" Sango yelled

Much to the cat demons efforts she was just not quick enough to match the flow of the water. Inuyasha could see that the water was threatening to pull her down, and they couldn't afford to lose sight of her again.

"Theres not enough time," Inuyasha growled out. "Sorry Kilala!" Inuyasha suddenly flung himself into the water using Kilala for momentum and nearly causing the cat demon to tumble off her course. He was closer to Kagome now, he swam hard, determined to get to her, and she was nearly within reach.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku and Shippo yelled.

"Don't be foolish Inuyasha!" Sango hollered.

"Hurry Inuyasha the river end is right there!" Shippo yelled

_'Shit, were getting close to the edge!'_ Inuyasha thought hearing the rumble of falling water grow louder and louder. He was closer to her now but just out of reach, she was being thrashed against the rapids violently making sure he wasn't able to get a decent hold on her. He could see from the corner of his eye that they were approaching a rock jutting out from the water.

_'Here's my chance!'_ He thought allowing his body to hit it hard and he held on tightly with one arm, his claws scraping against the stone. She was passing by so quickly he had to act fast, this was his only chance because the waterfall was just around that rock. Extending his arm as far as he could he snagged the tip of her back pack with a clawed finger, but everything went wrong. Kagome's force against the water caused Inuyasha's hold on the rock to slip and for that split second he made the crucial mistake of regaining his grasp on the stone, and lost his focus on his delicate hold on Kagome. He watched in horror as she slipped from him and was pushed off the edge. _'NO!'_

"KAGOMEEEEEEEEE!" He cried out fiercely but it was drowned out by the rage of the falls.

"Oh no Kagome!" Sango yelled

Kilala dove over the edge of the falls, Sango reached out to Kagome nearly grabbing her, but she lost sight of her within the fall's mist. Kilala attempted to enter the water but the others cried out as the water rushed against them nearly knocking them off her back. Sango quickly threw her chain into the rushing water.

'Come on, please get her.' She mentally pleaded but the chain went slack.

"Damn!" She cursed loudly.

"We lost sight of her Sango!" Shippo said frantically.

Sango paused for a moment looking down into the white misty water, contemplating to follow in suit to get Kagome, but. _'Inuyasha...'_

"Shippo, transform and take Miroku down to the bottom, and go try to find Kagome. Kilala and I will get Inuyasha, now hurry!" She ordered.

"Right" Shippo nodded doing what he was told, as did Miroku.

Without another word Kilala reared upwards swiftly back to the top of the falls.

Inuyasha held his breath waiting in hopes that Sango and the rest would come back up with Kagome in arms but when he saw an empty handed Sango his fears were realized

_'She fell.'_

"Inuyasha take my hand!" Sango yelled over the water.

Inuyasha lunged upwards with all his might and grabbed onto her extended hand.

"Sango..." He asked but the look on her face said it all.

She pulled him onto Kilala's back and they all went down to the bottom of the falls.

They could instantly feel the coolness and the power of the water as it rushed over the rocks and into the pool far below. The roar was enough to clear all thoughts and silence all words but it didn't deter the half demon from howling out in frustration. "KAGOME!"

Landing on the slated rocks below Kilala stepped to where Shippo was, his hands were held out towards the water, he was using his fox fire to light up the area since the sun was blocked out from the tall cliff before them casting a cold shadow on the plunge pool.

Inuyasha hopped off Kilala "Anything!"

"No, Miroku's already in the water and my fox fire isn't really helping, the mist keeps making it go out!"

"It's ok Shippo you stay here with Kilala, we'll go." Sango said coming down and putting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

_'I can't smell her, but she has to be here, I know it.'_ Inuyasha thought. His demon knew it too, the whole time it was threatening to emerge from its dormancy and take over, what it would do? Inuyasha didn't know but it seemed to react fiercely to Kagome's blood scent.

_'My bitch is injured!'_ It raged. _'Must find her!'_

"I know that!" Inuyasha bellowed out loud finally having enough of what his demon had to say about the situation. His odd behaviour earned some confused looks from Sango and Shippo but they couldn't even comprehend what must be running through his distraught mind at this moment.

Hearing a splash they looked over to the water were Miroku had emerged.

"Miroku! Did you find her!" Inuyasha called out.

"No, but I found this!" Miroku lifted his hand out of the water and threw something to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha swiped what ever it was out of the air, he looked down at his palm and his eyes wen't wide. "This is Kagome's shard" He gasped staring down at the small glass bottle containing the jewel shard.

Without a second thought he dove into the falls reservoir. The water was clear enough but his eyes struggled to focus in the shadowy depths, streams of light guided his way deeper until they could no longer penetrate the dark depths, he could feel her presence, though faint he knew he was close. Swimming deeper he could vaguely see something hovering just over the bottom of the falls.

His heart constricted _'Kagome...'_

Kagome's small tattered body hovered loosely against the rocky floor like a ghostly apparition, her hair ribboned around her elegant body and his kimono, which she still wore was tattered and shredded. Blood seemed to surround her like a cocoon, the red flowing out of large gaping wounds scattered across her flesh, the biggest one against her chest. The most haunting sight was her face, she looked so peaceful as if she were merely sleeping but her torn up body obviously told a different story.

Inuyasha cautiously swam down, cradled her in his arms and pushed off the bottom with all his might, swimming to the top.

Bursting out with a slosh of water, he gasped for breath and struggled to side swim both himself and Kagome to the shore while keeping her head above water.

Inuyasha could hear Shippo from the shore jumping with joy. "He found her, he found her!"

He quickly brought her to a large flat rock, dragging her to lay on her back but not before he stripped the backpack away from her and tossed it.

"Kagome's bleeding so much!" Shippo said distraught, tears already spilling from his eyes as he looked at the gruesome sight of Kagome's torn bloody body.

Sango gasped at the sight of her friend as her, Shippo, Miroku and Kilala ran over to their side.

"Her wounds seem deep, is she breathing Inuyasha?" Miroku asked stepping closer in his concern nearly coming down to assist Inuyasha when...

"Back off! Give me room!" Inuyasha snapped viciously.

They all gasped at the flash of red in his eyes but did what they were told, all of them in utter shock at the scene before them.

The sun had shifted and now shone into the small clearing of the pond, Kagome's blood began to dry on the stone staining it a dark red.

Inuyasha examined her, coming down to hold his head over her mouth and then over her heart.

His blood ran cold.

"Inuyasha?" Sango asked with a shaking voice.

"Is she?..." Shippo quivered, unable to finnish his question as more tears spilling down his plump cheeks.

Inuyasha never looked back to them, he proceeded to place one palm over the other over her heart, and pushed down in an even rhythm of 4 times, counting it out loud "One, Two, Three, Four" He then pinched her nose, pressed his open mouth against hers and gave her a long breath. He repeated this just like Kagome had taught, he never thought that he would be using any of these 'powers' within 2 days of each other.

**Flash back**

(Weeks earlier)

"Inuyasha!" Kagome said loudly.

He was laying on his side in the hut, head resting on his hand as he lightly dozed off in the afternoon heat.

Kagome huffed out a breath of frustration as she held herself in a strange position over a sack of rice. "INUYASHA!"

"What!" He snapped opening one eye to her.

Sitting up on her knees she rested her hands on her hips. "This is important! You might need to use this one day, you know!"

"I don't see how pushing on a sack of rice and kissing it will help anyone."

She blushed, "I'm using it as a dummy and I'm not kissing it, I'm breathing into it! That's entirely different! Like I said if a person has stopped breathing or drowned you have to lay them flat on the ground and breathe air into their lungs for them. Oh and remember! First you have to pinch the nose so air doesn't escape while you breathe in and... Inuyasha you're not paying attention!"

"Wench I don't see why I need to know this, if anyone drowns then they're as good as dead." He closed his eye again.

Kagome chewed on her lip in anger. _'Jerk never listens!'_ but she knew he didn't know any better, in this time people didn't know a lot of simple things that could save a person's life. Kagome thought it would be important to teach people of this time these skills in order to save some lives from an accidental or needles deaths.

Putting on a smile she tried to act optimistic against Inuyasha's lack of cooperation. "But that's what I've been trying to tell you Inuyasha there's a way to revive them! It doesn't always work, sometimes it's too late but this is like, a last chance kind of thing..."

"Revive them? Like the Tensaiga can?" His words became curious now.

"Kind of like the Tensaiga... Just no swords and you can only use it for certain circumstances."

"Like with some kind of power?" He yawned

"Yeah! Like a kind of power!" She decided to use that as bait. "The power called (Breath of life) and (CPR)!"

One of Inuyasha's ears flicked and he opened both eyes to watch her. "I'm listening wench."

Kagome smiled brightly then proceeded to explain, with the bag of rice as her dummy, on how to revive people and check for vital signs.

His take on the memory faded away and he realized his hands were now covered in her blood seeping out of her chest wound, there was now so much blood everywhere the scent of it was thick in the air and was enough to make the bile rise up in Inuyasha's throat. He worked on her vigorously.

"One, Two, Three, Four" and he breathed into her again, "One, Two, Three, Four"

Inuyasha wouldn't believe it, he couldn't believe it, he refused to even think about it! She couldn't be... she can't be... Dead?

His demon blood stirred in a strange way within him, he never felt this kind of emotion from the usually blood thirsty and hormonal demon within, his demon was... Mourning.

"Inuyasha..." Sango shivered.

They watched as Inuyasha worked on her for minutes, minutes that felt like hours.

"She-She can't be dead!" Shippo suddenly wailed loudly.

Miroku wiped away his tears and pulled Sango away from him, she stepped back and hugged herself for comfort wiping away her tears aswell watching Inuyasha in pity as he silently worked on his fallen love.

"Inuyasha" Miroku lowered next to him. "Inuyasha..."

Inuyasha either didn't care to listen to him of did't hear Miroku because he didn't give any sign of attention.

Miroku placed a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder "Inuyasha, you need to stop. You need to let her go, we must pray for her safe passage to kami." Miroku struggled to say those words to his friend.

Inuyasha suddenly lashed at him making Miroku fall back.

Inuyasha turned and gave Miroku a serious look, "If it were Sango would you stop!" His voice echoed over the water making everything seem silent.

Miroku gaped at Inuyasha's red eyes "Inuyasha..."

"Answer me! WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF IT WERE SANGO!" He yelled

Shippo, Sango and Kilala gasped as they felt the rise in his demonic aura, it swirled and crackled around him menacingly.

"No, No Inuyasha I wouldn't" Miroku lowered his gaze away shamefully. Looking over to Sango she smiled to him sadly.

Turning back to Kagome Inuyasha's demon was slowly suppressed by his human emotions that tore him apart, this extreme sadness, this feeling of being sick, being strangled to death and feeling like he wanted to die as he watched the one he loved die before his eyes. He wanted to die with her.

He could suddenly hear Shippo's sobs through his mad haze.

"Oh, Kagome" Sango choked out.

Miroku at this point had returned to comfort Sango and grieve over Inuyasha's denial.

Kilala made a mournful sound, curling up to console the young fox kit.

"ALL OF YOU SHUT THE HELL UP! STOP CRYING! SHE'S NOT!..." He yelled but looked down at her pale face, he couldn't hear her heart beat, most of her wounds had stopped bleeding, he couldn't feel her aura, he could feel nothing coming off her, she just laid their like an empty shell. The only thing that radiated off her was the sickening musk of death.

"She can't be..." He whispered his voice slightly shaking from his efforts against her chest.

"You said I could revive people with this skill Kagome, why isn't it working!" He asked her desperately but no answer came.

Slowly stopping his movements against her, he shook from exhaustion and shock.

He hid his face from the others, holding back the rising sting of tears. "This is my fault, if I hadn't let her fall into the river. If I had just gotten her from her time yesterday like I had promised! NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED!" He picked her up and hugged her closer to his chest.

Miroku looked down at his two friends in an unbelievable situation, _'Why kami... Why Kagome? She doesn't deserve an end like this.'_

Kagome was just a normal girl back in her time before she came into all of this, it was her destiny to come back to this time with the jewel in her body, it was her destiny to meet Inuyasha, her destiny to shatter the Shikon jewel and it was destiny that brought them all together. But it shouldn't be her fate to die needlessly for the sake of a jewel and the war over it, that was never any of her concern before she got here. But she was burdened with the unfortunate task of bearing it the day she was born, she by the will of kami was chosen to be the reincarnation of the priestess Kikio. Kikio who also gave her life for the jewel.

Inuyasha bared his fang cringing at the realization, "She died for it, just like Kikio..."

_'But why? Why did it have to be this way... it's just like Kikio'_ His heart broke all over again as flashes of the past came back to him _'I couldn't save Kikio then and now Kagome...'_

"Don't go Kagome," His voice quivered "People here need you, I... I need you." He stared down at her pale face, his emotions welling up within him, "C'mon Kagome you're stronger then that! WAKE UP DAMN IT!" He snapped shaking her in his arms but she just shook lifelessly.

Sango couldn't hold back her sobs anymore, now crying like an inconsolable child in Miroku's arms, she collapsed in grief over her lost friend, over her sister. She hadn't felt like this since the tragedy that had befallen her family, when Kohaku had become possessed and killed everyone. It felt just as bad.

Miroku held on to her tightly, looking down with tears in his eyes, at Inuyasha cradling Kagome's tattered lifeless body.

Shippo wailed louder.

_**"**_**I love you Inuyasha**_**"**_ Her words haunted him.

Unable to hold himself back anymore he howled out in pain, he let his tears flow into her pale cheeks and struggled to squeeze them away. Once they were out they couldn't stop, He held her, stroked her face, rested his forehead agains her cheek and struggled to hold himself quiet as his body shook with an unbelievable pain.

_**'Call to my mate'**_ His demon spoke calmly.

_'What?'_

_**'Call to her...'**_

_'I don't understand.'_

_**'Call to her!'**_

Still not understanding what it wanted him to do he lifted his head to look down at her, he whispered her name softly "Kagome..."

His aura flared.

"Kagome," He said as if he were gently waking her up from an afternoon nap, closing his eyes and resting his forehead upon hers, he secretly prayed.

Shippo had stopped his wails of sorrow and was now watching Inuyasha and the astonishing thing that was happening before his eyes.

"Sang, Miroku... look." Shippo said breathlessly.

They had both turned to look away from the tragic scene before them and embraced each other, now looking over to Shippo their gaze quickly turned to Inuyasha and what they saw made them stop.

Waves of his aura radiated off of him, the air pulsing in a visible ripple on the ground, his demonic aura once again came off him but it was different, it was stronger and was concentrated over Kagome's body. The Tetsuaiga pulsed in response to it's masters silent call.

"What's happening?" Sango said in awe.

"Kagome..." They heard Inuyasha whisper.

_**'Mate'**_

"Kagome" He felt as if he were now chanting. His demon calling out _**'Mate'**_ within his head.

He paused opening his eyes to look down at her again, "Kagome... I-I love you." He whispered leaning down to press his lips softly over hers.

_**'Come back to me mate…'**_

He suddenly sensed a pulsing aura from her, it was faint but it glowed in intensity, he could feel the Tetsuaiga pulse restlessly on his hip. Opening his eyes and pulling his lips away from hers he stared down in shock at Kagome's glowing body.

"Wh-what's happening" He gasped suddenly realizing something upon himself, he could faintly see purple streaks etch across his cheeks, his demon blood burned but he felt clear minded and his demons thoughts seemed to have silenced.

_'Kagome is purifying me? But how can she when she's...'_ His noes twitched, he could smell fresh blood, staring down at her he noticed her body pulsed back with life slowly.

"What's happening" Shippo gasped

Then Inuyasha heard it, one strong pulse, then another, and another! Looking down to his side, the Tetsuaiga pulsed in sync with her. _'Her heart it's... and Tetsuaiga...'_

"Inuyasha, Kagome's scent is changing!" Shippo gasped.

It was true, the pungent smell of death was fading and her cent was returning to normal but there was something strange, her scent smelled like Inuyasha's youki.

"Her scent... is changing?" Sango gasped

Kagome's body suddenly lurched and she chocked out bloody water gasping for breath Inuyasha didn't have time to react when he was suddenly hit with a wave of excruciating pain. Both Inuyasha and Kagome cried out in anguish and just as quick as she awoke from death, Kagome very suddenly passed out in his arms.

Inuyasha straightened himself panting for air. _'What was that? Was that her pain I felt?... KAGOME'S ALIVE!'_

Once again looking down to her he shook from the shock of it all, her face was red hot, and bruised. Her body twitched in unconscious pain, her breathing was shallow but rapid and her heart beat was going faint.

Sango flew to his side, "Inuyasha she needs a doctor immediately!"

"She's alive..." He his voice trembled.

"Inuyasha snap out of it, we need to find the nearest village and get Kagome help." Miroku said

"Whats going on?" Shippo sniffled with a confused, lost look on his tear stained face.

Standing up with Kagome in arms he took the forest ,which direction he was headed, he didn't really know but his senses were alert for any trace of a village. He never even thought of the group he left behind, all that he was concerned with was Kagome's fading energy.

_'She came back to me,'_ He thought with amazement dashing through the trees and kicking up leaves behind him. '_But how?'_

His nose twitched and he stopped abruptly the dirt breaking up in his skidding path. Sniffing the air he changed his direction more northward and continued his hasty sprint through the wood _'Smoke, and the smell of humans!'_

"DEMON!"

"RUN! A DEMON APPROACHES!"

"SAVE THE CHILDREN!"

As soon as Inuyasha approached the village pure panic spread, and the sight of the bloodied woman in his blood covered arms only fuelled the terror.

"He has a taste for blood! Everyone run for your lives!"

Jumping into the heart of the village he stopped and looked around wildly for a doctors hut. "Wheres the doctor!" Inuyasha hollered but everyone just fled away from him.

He could see a small group of men forming not too far from him and Kagome, all wielding their sharpest tattered farming tools, and rusted swords.

A younger man who was hiding behind a hut found the opportunity to try and slink away from the demon distracted by the mob, but clumsily tripped over a basket full of vegetables that must have been dropped in the mass panic.

"Hey you!" Inuyasha barked at the boy who was now frantically trying to scramble to his feet, but Inuyasha came over and stepped on his back not allowing him to move.

"Please don't kill me! I'm begging you please!" The young man wailed in fear.

Growling at him Inuyasha held in his annoyance the best he could. "Tell me where the village doctor is!" He demanded

The boy continued to cry pathetically begging for his life to be spared. Stepping on his back harder Inuyasha roared, "TELL ME!"

Crying out in fear the boy pointed a shaky finger towards a large hut not to far from where they stood.

"That better fucking be it, or you'll be sorry!" Inuyasha said menacingly.

Leaving the pathetic excuse for a man on the ground, Inuyasha went over to the hut he was directed to stopping just outside only to be confronted by the mob of fearing humans with weapons.

"Be gone demon!" One of the men yelled.

"You will burn in hell for harming that pure woman!" Another yelled, the woman meaning Kagome.

"I didn't do this to her!" He growled

"You will die for you're sins Demon!" One man yelled daring to charge forward with a sword. Inuyasha stepped out of his path quicker then the human eye could see and side kicked him a few feet away knocking him out. The others quivered in fear.

"Where's the doctor! Come out here!" Inuyasha bellowed his voice echoing off the buildings in the area.

The straw door was slowly pulled back and from the darkness of the hut came out a tall, older woman with short cole black hair, fine ivory white skin and piercing green eyes. She wore a simple pale blue robe with a tattered dirty apron, her face was calm given the situation before her. Hey cool eyes scanned the demon before her, looking at the body in his arms.

Two younger women came out and stood beside her starring at the crown before them in fear, they looked like her apprentices.

"You the doctor?" Inuyasha asked rudely.

"I am" The older one stated.

"How dare you speak to Lady Shikaru like that!" Someone in the crowd yelled

Ignoring the human he kept his focus on the Doctor "She need's your help." He said holding out Kagome.

Her eyes narrowed slightly and she stared him down. "Tell me Demon, did you do this?"

Stepping forward making the villagers point there weapons dangerously close to his neck thinking he may attack. Inuyasha snapped at her comment "I would never hurt her! She's my... friend. I would never!"

"Doctor Shikaru does not need to help the likes of a demon!" A man yelled, the others nodded in agreement.

The crowd started to whisper things that were threatening to set Inuyasha off.

"A woman that young? Friends with a demon?"

"Perhaps that woman is his whore."

"A Woman to bed with a Demon? Deplorable! Perhaps kami punished her for it?"

"We shouldn't allow this demon to use our medical resources for his play thing."

Gritting his teeth Inuyasha readied to yell at them again when Doctor Shikaru suddenly spoke. "Quiet"

The crowd silenced their whispers immediately, her authority was quite evident, this woman obviously held a high title in this village.

"Inuyasha!" Shippo's voice rang out.

"Oh no, another demon!"

Sango and the others rode up on Kilala, and landed near Inuyasha.

"Please you need not fear him!" Miroku called out in panic jumping off Kilala's back and coming to stand in between Inuyasha and the sharp ends of the weapons.

"Hear us out, he's harmless. Please just help out friend, she fell from a waterfall not to far from here." Sango pleaded.

"Were begging you, save Kagome!" Shippo said

The crowd started to whisper again.

"She fell from Nachi falls?"

"No one can survive a fall like that"

The doctor looked at them all curiously "A cat and fox demon, a monk, demon slayer, Half demon and a Priestess. What a strange group to come upon my front door."

_'She knows Kagome's has powers?'_ Inuyasha thought but shook it away.

"We don't have time for this! You have to help her!" Inuyasha snapped walking past Miroku and approached the front steps of the hut.

"Back demon!" A man cried out holding a sword point to his neck.

Inuyasha ignored it and walked trough. The side of his neck pressing into the sword drawing blood, but he kept a determined face staring intensely at the Doctor who's eyes slightly widened as the sword pressed further into his neck. "Help her." He said, desperation lining his words.

Shikaru turned back to her hut stopping just before the door "Allow them to pass men and do not disturb me unless it's an emergency. Inform the rest of the village and carry on with your day." She commanded

"But lady Shikaru-" The man with the sword against Inuyasha protested, hesitantly pulling the sword away.

"Do as I say," She said a little harsher and turning slightly to look back at Sango. "Demon slayer, you say that woman is your friend?"

Surprised that the doctor was suddenly talking to her she nodded stuttering out "Y-yes"

"Then you will assist me" She said

"Of course!" Sango exclaimed jumping off Kilala.

The doctor pulled back the straw door. "Sia, Momo prepare a room for this child and bring me my medial tools," She told the two girls following behind her. "Half demon, come bring her inside."

Inuyasha perked up and hesitantly stepped froward, eyeing the cautious men around him.

He and Sango rushed in and left the others to wait out side in worry while the villagers slowly returned back to what they were doing, before the distraught Inuyasha scared them away, all casting skeptical eyes towards the Doctors hut where they knew a demon was.

...

He growled for the hundredth time towards the Monk resting against the wall beside him.

"Inuyasha, I will take the sutra off your mouth if you promise not to cause such a ruckus. The Doctor and Sango are working on helping Kagome and your just being a distraction." Miroku said tiredly looking up at the moon. Shippo and a small form Kilala slept cuddled together on miroku's lap, it had taken a while for Shippo to fall asleep, he had vowed that he wouldn't sleep until he knew kagome was all right but he eventually fell into a restless sleep.

Inuyasha growled louder. _'Fucking monk is gunna pay'_

He had been kicked out as soon as he laid Kagome on the mattress, he had protested rather dramatically causing quite the stir and making the other patients in the other rooms become quite agitated that there was a raging demon in the vicinity. Doctor Shikaru had said that no men could be allowed in the room as she worked on women, and that only earned her an earful from a frustrated Inuyasha who said it was his responsibility to protect her and watch over her. Not even realizing that his demands were not appropriate, because they had to strip Kagome of his Kimono to examine the wounds, he refused to leave. It took three sutras, provided by Miroku, to subdue the half demon and drag him out of the hut, he didn't even have the mobility to clean the blood off his own hands, Shippo did that for him, Miroku took off his inner robe and cleaned it of by the well for him aswell.

Miroku stooped as low as putting one seal over Inuyasha's mouth earlier to silence his hollering protests and anger.

_'Yup I'm gunna kill him slowly... and painfully.'_ Inuyasha thought menacingly.

He was going crazy, he could smell Kagome's blood thick in the air all evening and into the night, Sango had only come out twice to wash the bloodied rags by a well near by and tell them that they were still working on her. He had so many questions to ask but the damed monk wouldn't take the sutra off! Hitting his head rather hard against the wall he looked but at the waining moon.

_'Kagome'_

The waiting was killing him!

"Master Inuyasha!"

With the flap of a crows wing Inuyasha's ears twitched and he strained his eyes to see something small falling from the sky towards him. _'That voice, it's-'_

Miyoga landed on his nose and sucked eagerly.

"Miyoga?" Miroku said, "What brings you here?"

Shippo stirred in his sleep and perked up looking over lazily to Inuyasha "Miyoga the flea?"

Inuyasha growled as the flea continued to suck until his gullet grew to full and the flea fell off, content with his fill.

"Salutations Monk Miroku and Shippo, it has been quite some time," Miyoga greeted, "I have come from the western land with information for Master Inuyasha from Lord Constant-"

Inuyasha's vicious growl silenced the flea.

"Information, what kind of information?" The now awake Shippo asked sitting upright on Miroku's lap.

"Master Inuyasha did not tell you? He's been having trouble controlling-"

**"GRRRR!"** Inuyasha snarled starting to struggle to break free of his binds.

"Oh! Master why are you in such a state? I was on my way to the village near your forest when I smelled Kagome's blood scent in the air." Miyoga said, "I followed it here."

Inuyasha growled again

Miroku suddenly remembered the sutra on Inuyasha's mouth "Oh, sorry Inuyasha."

Miroku ripped it off "FUCKING HELL MONK!" Inuyasha howled "You wait till I get out of these seals, you're as good as dead!"

"Now now Inuyasha, I did it for your own good"

"Please Master tell me what happened to Miss Kagome, her blood smells mixed with you're Youki but yet there is no scent that you two have mated" Miyoga said

"Mated?" Shippo said confused looking over to Inuyasha.

"Interesting" Miroku smirked

Inuyasha's face flooded red, "I didn't! We didn't!… Fucking flea!"

Miroku gave Inuyasha a sly look.

"Shut up monk this isn't the time, get your head out of the fucking gutter" Inuyasha growled "And get me out of these fucking binds!"

"All right, calm down I didn't even say anything." Miroku said placing Shippo on the ground and going over to Inuyasha.

"Kagome fell from a waterfall earlier, she is beat up really bad, we thought she died but Inuyasha revived her somehow. The doctor of the village and Sango have been helping her for hours now." Shippo Informed Miyoga who was now perched on his hand.

"How awful! I knew something was wrong from the heavy scent of Kagome's blood" Miyoga jumped.

Miroku finished taking off the last binding.

*THWACK!*

"OUCH!" Miroku cried out holding his head, "This is the thanks I get for being a good friend."

"Feh! Some friend you are!" Inuyasha hissed rolling his shoulder.

"Tell me Master Inuyasha how could you let something like this happen to your future mate!" Miyoga exclaimed

"Stop saying that!" Inuyasha blushed grabbing the flea from Shippo's hand and crushing him. "Idiot, it's not like I wanted this to happen to her!" He barked remembering Kagome's sorry state.

"Oh how mistreated I am!" Miyoga groaned as he laid twitching in Inuyasha's palm.

"I must say I'm curious as well Inuyasha on how you and Kagome ended up in the river..." Miroku commented still rubbing the bump on his head. He thought it was the perfect opportunity to finally ask what had been on his mind all day.

"We ran into a bit of trouble with a mole demon, damn thing was easy enough to kill but I was careless and let Kagome get in harms way-"

"I didn't mean what happened this morning, I meant what happened last night for you to end up where we are now." Miroku cut in.

Inuyasha paused looking up at the monk with wide eyes and he quickly looked away _'Oh, that.'_

"I mean what happened between you, Kagome and Kikio" Miroku boldly asked

"I know what you meant!" Inuyasha bit out staring absently towards the ground.

"So I was right! You two timer!" Shippo exclaimed pointing at him accusingly

Miyoga gasped "Say it's not true Master!"

Inuyasha growled in annoyance, "I did go see Kikio last night but it wasn't like that you little brat!" raising a fist to Shippo who scurried out of his reach behind Miroku.

Miroku eyed him suspiciously "What happened then Inuyasha?"

"Its none of your damn business!"

"Then you're obviously hiding something!" Shippo yelled

"AM NOT!"

"Then why can't you just tell us Master?" Miyoga said

"Butt out flea!"

They all just stared at him waiting for an answer.

_'Might as well tell them since it's going to be brought up sometime soon'_ He thought to himself.

Grumbling out a few curses before he spoke he knew it had to be done. "I-I told Kikio I had chosen Kagome..."

The others except for Miyoga looked surprised.

"I decided a long time ago whom I would choose but I never had an opportunity to talk to her until last night, when I was supposed to go get Kagome." Inuyasha stirred uncomfortably.

"And what of lady Kikio?" Miroku asked sternly

Inuyasha's face went soft at the memory "She accepted it and told me to be happy."

"So just like that, after all these years. she's just over it?" Shippo looked skeptical

Lost in his thoughts Inuyasha frowned "I can't explain it Shippo, you wouldn't understand. No one would, what happened between me and Kikio to come to terms with the past took a long time but we've gotten through it."

"Since when did you mature so much Inuyasha?" Miroku mused earning a glower from his friend

Shippo frowned skeptical of his motives "So then what happened between you and Kagome?"

"Kagome found us together in the forest and overreacted. She thought my choice was Kikio and so she ran from us and thats how we ended up in the river. After I pulled us out of the water we realized that the jewel had fallen out of her bag and was swept away. We tried to search for it but Kagome was nearly freezing to death so I found an abandoned hut to heat her up."

"Heat her up you say?" Miroku smirked devilishly.

*THUMP*

"Miroku, I swear one more word!" Inuyasha warned

Miroku held the other lump on his head in pain.

"They did not mate Master Miroku, if that's what you're trying to imply" Miyoga said eyes closed, arms crossed and sitting cross legged in front of the group. "Her blood scent doesn't indicate that."

"It took him that long to figure out who he should choose, it's gunna take him forever to figure out what to do with Kagome let alone mate with her." Shippo said lazily.

Inuyasha cracked his knuckles as his blush grew darker. "Hey Shippo, my claws are getting a little dull, Come'er a sec."

"Have you even asked her to be your mate?" Miyoga asked

"I SAID IT'S NOT ANY OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS!"

"Inuyasha..." A woman's voice cut in.

"WHAT!" he whirled around to look over to Sango who was standing at the doorway "...Sango"

She looked exhausted, her eye's seemed weary and she looked like she could barely stand.

Inuyasha shot up and went to her "How is Kagome? Is she all right? Tell me..."

She sighed with a tired smile "We've stopped the bleeding but she still lost a lot of blood, the doctor stitched all the big wounds closed and her fever has gone down a little," She informed wiping the sweat off her brow "The doctor would like to see you now."

He nodded and walked into the dark building.

Stepping slowly on the cold wooden floor his heart pounded as he approached the room that held Kagome's scent, he could see a shadow of a resting body moving within and settle from the Flicker of a lantern.

He stepped in hesitantly and stared at the small body under a thick blanket, as he stepped further into the room he could make out her face, her breathing was ragged and her face was flushed with a damp cloth across her forehead. The sent of blood, herbs and cotton hung heavily in the air, his hands began to shake as he lowered down to sit by her. He had to see, he had to know her condition... swallowing hard, he slowly took the folds of the blanket and pulled back.

"What are you doing?"

Inuyasha jumped and dropped the blanket tucking his hands close to himself and looked over to the doctor standing by the door way with two cups of tea in her hands.

"I-I just... wanted to know how bad it was." He winced looking back down at Kagome placing a hand lightly on her.

"I don't think it's appropriate for you to be snooping around her person while she is sedated." The doctor frowned walking in and sitting close to Inuyasha and handing him the other cup of tea.

"No thanks," he passed growling at her comment "and I'm not snooping."

Shrugging, the doctor just placed the cup on the ground. They stayed silent for a few minutes staring down at the sleeping Kagome.

"Tell me, how bad are her injuries?"

"Four broken ribs, one broken leg, shattered elbow, multiple lacerations across her body and one rather large wound on her chest, she's lost a significant amount of blood and is hanging by a thread" The doctor said taking a long sip of her tea.

A lump formed in his throat, he chocked on her words, he thought he was going to be sick after hearing her condition. He didn't imagine it would be so brutal, he had never let Kagome be so hurt, he had done well to protect her but now she was broken and torn. Something he swore he would never let happen to her. "Shit"

"Indeed, I haven't had to deal with such extensive injuries in a very long time."

Digging his claws into his palms his body shook in rage _'How could I let this happen! how could I let her be injured. It should have been me to fall, not her.'_

Snapping back to reality away from his self loathing he remembered why he was there, "You wanted to talk to me?" Inuyasha said

Shikaru nodded solemnly "Yes, aside from the threat of infection and fever there is something that is worrying me"

"What is it?"

"She is a priestess, I could sense her spiritual energy the moment you arrived in the village"

"Then that means you're a-"

"Yes, Aside from my role as a doctor, I am also the priestess of this village." Shikaru said, "Her spiritual energy is extraordinary, I've never felt a power so pure and strong but there seems to be a considerable amount of youki in her system."

Inuyasha looked at her confused for a moment but could sense his own youki still radiating off Kagome's body

"Miss Sango informed me that you're youki entered her body earlier and seemed to revive her from death."

"I don't know how it happened..."

"It does not matter how it happened, what matters is what it's doing to this young lady."

"W-what do you mean?"

"The fact that her spiritual energy accepted your youki is not only amazing, it's impossible. The only way this could happen was if she were demon and mated to you and she most certainly is not a demon. Nor do I see a demon mating mark on her."

Blushing a little Inuyasha tensed _'Why does the word mated have to come up again!'_

"What is your relation to her?" Shikaru bluntly questioned.

"She'd my friend" Inuyasha gritted

Smirking slightly Shikaru laughed "Very well then, hold in your pride, but may I say that this situation is quite interesting, very interesting indeed."

Glad she was dropping the other subject he remembered what she had said before "But what does it all mean?"

"I'm not sure" Shikaru said with an uncertain frown "This very-well may threaten her life and she is already precariously balanced between life and death."

Inuyasha perked up again "Wait, what?"

"It's not natural for yin and yang to mix, it is possible to balance the two within ones soul but her spiritual energy will try to purify the youki you provided her to keep her alive, and that may ultimately kill her."

Kagome suddenly moaned, tensing slightly and Inuyasha gasped in shock as a jolt of pink light crackled over her and fizzed away.

"That was."

"She's trying to purify herself."

"So my youki is killing her?" He said in an unbelieving tone.

"You two have a strong bond, I can tell. But I'm afraid she doesn't have the strength to battle whats going on within her." Shikaru lowered "Though you are half demon it is obvious your demon half wishes to claim her seeing as how it willingly gave up your youki to save her life."

"You don't think me wanting to claim her is wrong?" Inuyasha eyed her curiously.

Taking another sip of her tea she sighed "Though my practice has taught me to prevent demons from corrupting the pure hearted, I myself do not hold any prejudice unlike the people of this village."

"So Kagome is still…"

"Unfortunately yes, She may not make it through the night I'm afraid."

A jolt of shock shot through him and he closed his eyes trying to keep his composure "Is there another way to save her... there has to be another way!"

"I'm sorry, she's lost so much blood and I'm afraid that the only thing sustaining her is the demonic energy which will ultimately be purified by her spiritual powers."

"She can't just beat the odds then lose!" His voice rose.

She gazed at him with pitying eyes.

He clenched his fist glaring down at Kagome, the woman he loved with a pained face, and she reflected it back in her unconscious state. Her breathing was harsh and quick, the sweat ran down her face, and she looked like she was in a lot of pain.

"Is she... in pain?" He choked out.

"Yes, very much so, I gave her a mix of herbs and medicines which has eased a lot of the suffering but as you witnessed the shocks she is experiencing from the purification seems to cause her a considerable amount of pain."

_'My youki is keeping her alive but it's killing her too,'_ He thought in confusion _'What can I do, how can I help her?'_

"Master there may be a way to save her."

Looking around for the familiar voice, the suddenly flea emerged from his silver hair on top his head, and jumped onto Kagome's stomach.

"Miyoga?... You were there the whole time!" Inuyasha snarled.

"Please Master I was only concerned of Miss Kagome's condition"

"Flea demon, you said there was a way to save the girl?" Shikaru suddenly spoke

"Ah, yes. Pleased to meet you Doctor Shikaru, my name is Miyoga I am Master Inuyasha's ward." Miyoga bowed formally.

Shikaru smirked again "This is quite an interesting day. Pleased to meet you aswell Flea Miyoga."

Blinking at the realization that the flea had in fact said there was a way to save her snapped him out of his anger. "Spit it out Miyoga we don't have time to waste"

"Uh, well yes... Their might be a way, but I'm not exactly sure if it will work, and I know not of what kind of effects this may have on Miss Kagome" Miyoga said anxiously.

"WHY WOULD YOU BRING IT UP THEN YOU USELESS FLEA!" Inuyasha threatened

"Please master I only want to help Miss Kagome, but what I'm about to suggest it a serious matter, like I said before I don't know what kind of effects this may have on her."

"What kind of effects? What the heck are you babbling on about?" Inuyasha frowned.

Miyoga gulped nervously tugging on his collar.

A/N:

MAN THAT WAS LONG! haha XP

I don't really like how I ended it but it is quite a long chapter and I was having issue deciding where to end it for a while since I could easily chop this in half make 2 chapters out of all this writing but, oh well!

So as I'm writing this chapter I've been watching random old episodes of Inuyasha and just watched the very last episode and cried my eyes out! haha

It kinda felt like the last Harry Potter Book/Movie, it feels weird when something you've grown up with finally ends. Makes me sad actually.

I'm not one for change but growing up is a good thing, a heathy thing, right? And with that thought I started to second guess writing my story... I mean Inuyasha is a chapter in my life that ended the day it did. But Much like Sailor Moor, Rourounin Kenshin, Harry Potter and others they are all a part of my life I will never forget. So even though I'm older now and I find it strange to go back to childhood memories I'm actually really glad I'm doing this. Even if not a lot of people read my version of an amazing story, or even like it, I don't mind I guess... as sensitive as I can be. I think I really needed this, I needed to get all this out.

I don't know my point for writing any of that, but I guess I'm guess surprised that people are actually even reading this at all.

I've never been a good writer, never been good in English class, but yet I love to write. (as hard as it is for me)

Anyway. Sorry for anyone who actually read all this dabble, I thank you for your time!

PLEASE REVIEW!

P.S  
>Adam: Thanks for your comments I'm glad you really like it! I don't know how many chapters I'm going to write, I made this story up in my head years ago and started writing it down. I got up to 19 chapters but was no where near finished. my original copy is destroyed but I remember how most of it goes and then I'm gunna have to wing it. I have thought of making a series of continuations but I'm going to have to see where this goes and if I have time. Life may get in the way once and a while so bear with me I do this on my spare time now (I'm hoping I'll be able to put out a chapter every 2 weeks or so). But I will try not to do the douche bag thing where I totally stop writing I would give a warning if that were the case but there would have to be a really good reason from me to stop writing because I'm determined to finnish this story.<p> 


	4. You Are The Blood

Chapter** 4:**

-You Are The Blood-

Inuyasha paced back and forth nervously from one wall of the hut to the other with the heat of his own breath fanning back towards him; he felt trapped, he felt like a feral animal crazed and agitated, just wanting to get out of this imprisonment. But alas he knew he couldn't leave, wouldn't leave for that matter. He had to wait for her.

"Fuck!" He cried out as his muscles tensed from the fire that suddenly raged throughout his entire body. Falling to one knee he cringed in pain as a pale, pink electricity shocked him once again searing his skin with a sickening sizzle.

He cried out again "Ahhh!"

The shock subsided in a moments time but the aftermath was still there.

_'That was worse then the last!_' He thought struggling to stand once again. Feeling the familiar wave of nausea hit him, Inuyasha placed a hand on the nearest wall and doubled over dryheaving on his empty stomach. It took him another moment to regain himself.

Rough ragged coughs drew his attention to the one laying on a futon a few feet away from him. His nose wrinkled at the smell of blood.

Walking over and crouching down he placed a hand on her head.

His brows furrowed as he thought to himself with a worry _'She's burning up.'_

Carefully, he took the cloth from her forehead and re-soaked it in a small bowl of water near by. She suddenly began to cough once more. Inuyasha winced as she struggled to choke out her own blood, but slowly she came to settle back down and continued on with her rest.

Inuyasha noted the small smudge of blood at the corner of her mouth and wiped it away with his thumb _'She's still bleeding on the inside, why isn't it working?'_

He lifted the folds of her Kimono to examined her bandages that covered her from head to toe, they hadn't seeped through with blood again like the last time, and that meant she was healing more quickly. He carefully pulled back a bandage from one of her arms and noticed her wounds and gashed were slowly closing over, it even looked as though the small cuts across her face where completely gone already. He placed a hand on her left side applying slight pressure to feel her ribcage, she squirmed in her sleep wincing in pain, there was still bruising but her ribs felt perfectly back in place.

Sighing in relief he spoke her name softly in the thick humid air. "Kagome."

"Inu..." She groaned, her head swaying side to side as if she were searching for him in her dreams.

He froze at her response _'She's regaining consciousness! Then that means the transition will happen soon...'_

"Kagome, can you hear me?"

Another surge of energy hit him bringing his body to the ground beside her and roughly hold back his cries of agony. The smell of his own flesh burning made his mind hazy, cracking his eyes open to see Kagome going through the same torture he was going through tore him with an unbelievable guilt that he couldn't explain. He wanted to make it stop, but he knew it wasn't up to him to decide. He knew he shouldn't complain but these shocks of pure energy where killing him! Kagome and his 'episodes' seemed to occur at the same time, it started slow but was gradually getting worse and worse by the approaching full moon.

His body was finally able to relax when the energy subsided and he laid there watching as Kagome slowly calmed down aswell.

_'Why is this taking so long?'_

Inuyasha struggled to sit up as he felt the room spin around. He concluded that pacing around wouldnt do him any more good in his state, he was already losing strength and he needed to take care of kagome once she awoke. It had been a three days since they did the blood ritual, three days since they left Shikarus village and returned home and nearly three days Inuyasha and Kagome had been sealed in the hut alone. Kaede offered the village's wanderers hut for their containment and Miroku and Kaede sealed Inuyasha and Kagome inside with sutras to keep them in. Miroku and Sango took turns checking in on them from the other side every few hours and brought him food and water, but he couldn't keep anything down so he passed on it. Myoga said it was most likely she would awaken on the night of the full moon, where the demonic blood of Inuyasha's blood line would be at it's strongest. On the full moon that was tonight.

"C'mon Kagome wake up" He growled in frustration.

He felt uncertain about it all, how his blood could help... if it even could. He still didn't understand nor did he know where Myoga's confidence came from yet the flea was adamant about using his blood to save her and for what the flea was worth he was right, Kagome was alive.

3 days had passed and she was still breathing.

********Three nights earlier********

"What?..." Inuyasha said dumbfounded

"It's as I said master."

"No way, no fucking way!" He growled looking over to Shikaru for some kind of response but saw nothing in the neutral faced woman, he stood abruptly knocking poor Myoga off his knee as he proceeded to pace back and forth.

"Those are some very old methods demon. I have never hear of that kind of ritual being practiced in this day and age."

Myoga nodded taking a place on the ground and folded his arms knowingly "Yes they are very old, havent heard of it in nearly a hundred years... in fact I don't believe they are used at all anymore. But it is not unheard of."

"But she has spiritual powers, something such as this would surely kill her." Shikaru noted

"Miss Kagome is a remarkable woman bestowed with remarkable powers, she comes from a different world not of this time. I have seen her withstand many things that would otherwise kill other humans and her bond to my master is strong."

Still looking confused Inuyasha growled at the fact they weren't talking directly to him. "DID YOU NOT HEAR WHAT YOU JUST SAID MYOGA!"

"I am quite aware of what it is I just preposed to you Master Inuyasha."

"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE!" Inuyasha bellowed

"You will lower your voice under my roof demon." Shikaru said sternly

Inuyasha gritted his teeth and struggled to hold in his anger.

"Please Master hear me out" Myoga begged

"Fine" He said stubbornly crossing his arms "But do you really think transfusing my blood into her is the last option?"

Pondering for a moment Myoga suddenly jumped "Well unless you wish to pay you're brother a visit and beg for his use of the tensaigua that is..."

"When hell freezes over!" Inuyasha spat crossing his arms.

"Hush your tone, I will not ask you again demon." Shikaru scolded

His ears flattened and her grumbled a "Sorry..."

Inuyasha pondered for a moment _'I would do it for her. I would beg on my knees to him to save her but I know that bastard wouldn't lift a finger to help me let alone a human.'_ He frowned, '_But then again he did save Rin...'_ For a moment Inuyasha thought of using that child Rin's affection for Kagome as leverage, but he blew away the small ray of hope with a sigh of frustration. He knew his Bastard of a half brother wouldn't help him even if he handed over the damn Tetsuaiga, besides finding that ass would be like finding a single grain of rice in a field and Inuyasha didn't have that kind of time.

"Never mind about that bastard Myoga" Inuyasha stopped his fidgeting, "What would I have to do?"

"Master, I must ask you a serious question and you must answer honestly," Myoga said with a firm tone.

"What?"

"Is Kagome truly the one? Do you intend to make her your mate?"

Inuyasha glanced over to Shikaru feeling uncomfortable with Myoga's rather personal question asked in front of her, but he shut up his pride for once and bit out a "Yes."

Satisfied with Inuyasha's answer Myoga proceeded "Very well then. To do the ritual, it is required to drain the females blood almost completely from either of these areas: wrists, thighs or neck. Most Dog demons prefer the neck of their mate."

He sucked in his breath and froze _'Drain her blood?'_

"Oh my, he looks pale." Shikaru observed out loud.

Inuyasha shot her a dark look but looked away quickly to Kagome as she moaned..."No, that's not gunna happen, fuck that! She's already lost so much blood!"

"That would be good Master! There would be minimal blood for you to deal with, if that's what you are afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid!" He barked making the flea flinch slightly, but Inuyasha grimaced _'He's right I am afraid...'_

"Why do we have to drain all her blood?"

"Most of her blood, not all master. For one, your demon will react to the scent of her blood, meaning you'd have to allow your demon to surface. Your demonic energy will also be at it's strongest at that time, that's when I will suck as much blood as I can from you and proceed to inject it into Kagome. The second reason is demon blood has repairing abilities and with the little amount of youki in her system it may stop her from purifying herself."

"Wait... did you just say you wanted me to lose control of my demon? Are you insane!"

"HUSH" Shikaru hissed

Inuyasha glared daggers at the woman.

Myoga sighed "The more your demon begins to show the better your blood will be for her. Don't be affai- I mean worried, just try and keep in control, make sure Tetsuaiga is with you."

"But wont that be dangerous for her?"

"It is my belief that demonic blood may stop the shocks from happening. Spiritual energy is not a force that comes from blood like demonic energy, spiritual powers comes from the soul of a being graced with the powers of kami, and is up to them to control that power for good or bad. I believe Kagome's energy is trying to balance your youki within herbut in the process she is purifying herself because it is a tainted energy. If transfused, your blood in little time should become her blood, thus she will create her own demonic energy and her spiritual powers may recognize it as safe... lets also not forget the natural healing abilities demon blood can have."

"And what if it doesn't." Inuyasha winced dreading the impending answer.

"She may purify herself and destroy her only hold onto life that she currently has with your youki," Shikaru interjected "am I right demon?"

Myoga nodded solemnly.

Inuyasha frowned "But why can't my youki that's in her now, keep her alive until she's recovered?"

"Well master, any strong demon is capable of possessing another being and manipulate them, that can be done by controlling your youki and concentrating it on a target. Since your demon has made it quite clear that you wish to claim Kagome as your mate, I believe in a last act of desperation you instinctively overwhelmed her with youki to keep her sustained. If you were fulldemon you could keep her alive like this until she regenerated herself but you are only half demon, your demonic aura is no where near strong enough to stay within her even if you somehow willed it to. Miss Kagome's spiritrual energy is far stronger then any other priestess that I have encountered... well except for lady Kikio that is but that is because Kagome is her reincarnation-"

"Myoga" Inuyasha gritted annoyed at the fleas ramble and noticing Shikaru frown with confusion.

"If I may speak? I know that many demons use there blood to control their prey. In some cases I heard of some kinds of transformations occurring to humans before. Bat demons force human prey to drink their blood and humans take on demonic forms." Shikaru said "They are known for causing mischief near the eastern high seas."

"What?" Inuyasha gasped "She could... she could turn into a... but that's impossible!"

"Now Inuyasha don't jump to the conclusion that Kagome may turn, there is a very low possibility that would happen."

Inuyasha took the opposite of what he heard "I am not fucking doing that to her! What about her spiritual powers, demonic blood would taint her Myoga!"

Myoga jumped onto his shoulder "It's not certain about her powers Master Inuyasha, but I believe the more important thing here is saving her life do you not? I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't have faith in Miss Kagome."

Kagome suddenly tensed and moaned in her sleep, Inuyasha was suddenly shocked by a force of pure enegry that was pulsing out of Kagome as her body glowed with a purifying shock and subsided instantly.

"Her purification is almost complete," Shikaru said "You're youki has nearly faded."

"Master please we must do the blood ritual now before her soul passes on the next realm." Miyoga jumped

A cold sweat ran down his cheek, Inuyasha felt overwhelmed, but looking down at Kagomes pained face he knew he had to save her no matter what would happen.

"I will go prepare the things nessiary, please do not speak of this out of the confines of this room, I fear what the villagers may do."

He felt uneasy by her tone "The hell does that mean?"

"This is a highly blasphemous ritual to be preforming on a priestess half demon. The village people are already fearful of your presence thanks to the rather loud entrance you made this morning; if word got out that you were doing some sort of blood ritual to a young priestess they would surely have your head despite what I may say.

"Keh! I'd like to see them try."

"She's right though master you must be weary of the repercussions, people will look down on this fearfully. They may even threaten miss Kagome, since some would see this as tainting her purity. Kagome may turn out to develop her own demonic aura if she accepts your blood, some monks and priestesses would be able to sense this from her and think she is corrupted."

"You don't think I don't know that," he gritted closing his eyes "I remember what those people said about my mother, I was young and didn't know what it meant then, but now I understand all the abuse she went through for me and even Kagome has been reprimanded for being with me. All the villages we go through... the looks she would get for walking with me, you think I don't notice? You think I can't hear what they already say about her." His clenched fists shook fiercely,"I wont let anyone hurt her, even if it means me gutting anyone who opposes me, who opposes us."

Shikaru understood his strong protective nature towards the one we intended to claim and respected it; simply saying "Let's hope it will not come to that."

"You stay here master, I'll go inform the others while shikaru gathers the necessities" Myoga said jumping out of the room quickly and with a slight nodd Shikaru followed suit leaving the half demon and unconscious Kagome alone in the room.

...

It wasn't long until they returned and Inuyasha was faced with what he was dreading.

He held her wrist delicately and slowly brought his claws to her skin. He bearly pressed them against her when he suddenly stopped.

He couldn't do it.

He felt his lungs compress. "I-I can't do it."

"You must master, her blood must be spilt by your hand or it may compromise the ritual."

"I can't fucking do it Myoga! I can't hurt her, I won't hurt her!"

"Master listen to your instincts, what are they telling you? What is your demon telling you?"

Inuyasha struggled to breathe from the overwhelming pressure, he focused on the voice he desperately was trying to ignore.

_'**Her blood must be spilt by my hand and my hand only.'**_

_'I won't let you hurt her.'_

**_'Do what is needed to be done.'_**

_'She's only human, she can't lose anymore blood. This rutal is only made for demons!'_

**_'Fool, she is already injured and will be dead come morning. Share my blood and save MY mate.'_**

_'She's MY mate!'_

**_'Your perception is questionable. We are one, if you hadn't noticed yet...'_** it said mockingly.

_'Way to contradict your self dumb ass! and we are nowhere close to being one and the same.'_

Inuyasha couldn't believe he was talking to the blood lusting demon within him so casually... well, casual in an Inuyasha sort of way. Shaking away his inner turmoil he focused back to the situation at hand.

"By my hand only?" He spoke out to himself.

"Please master we don't have much time!" Myoga pleaded.

Inuyasha knew why Myoga felt so rushed, his youki was fading fast and her powers were finally able to purify the taint in her body but with that her life force was fading aswell.

_'I have to do this, it's the only way'_ He thought taking her wrist again.

_'Fine_' he growled to himself in defeat and his demonic aura suddenly pulsed, and his eyes bled the colour red. He brought a sharp claw against her wrist easily tearing a slit in her skin and allowed her blood to spill out heavily into a bowl Shikaru had provided. Everything in him seemed to scream, his heart, his soul, his mind as he forcefully harmed her, something he vowed never to do, yet here he was spilling her blood and slowly killing her. A growl escaped him as his demon fought against Inuyasha's restrain.

Myoga hesitantly started sucking out Inuyasha's blood from his arm earning yet another growl from the near full demon, but Inuyasha allowed it and focused back only on Kagome. Myoga swelled nearly to the size of Shippo.

"**That's enough"** Inuyasha's rough voice cut in. His demon had spoken that time, much to Inuyasha's surprise. How did it know how much blood needed to be drawn?

Myoga complied and rolled towards kagome stabbing his sucker into her collar bone and into a vein, transfusing the blood as cose to the heart as possible.

Inuyasha breathed out a heavy breath as his demon receded, he had never experienced that before. Control over his demon. Perhaps it was Kagomes presence and her lingering pure energy taming his demonic side allowing him to have moment of self non-blood thirsty control, it scared him, but more so fascinated him.

Finishing the last drop Myoga pulled away with a queasy pop from his sucker "That should be good now," he said seemingly pleased with his work "it'd be wise to lick her wounds clean to help them heal faster."

Doing as he was told Inuyasha lifted her bleeding wrist to his muzzle and lapped up her blood. His demon seemed to enjoy the taste of her sweet, red, life essence.

_'Sick fucker,_' Inuyasha thought _'If we are one and the same then that means I like it too!'_ he coughed out at that realization pulling away from his mending.

"It should heal fine now" He said shaking off his strange thought of actually 'liking' the taste of her blood. He shivered again.

"Now all we can do is wait master and pray her spiritual energy does not reject your demonic blood any further."

"Yeah, ok." Inuyasha said in a daze

Inuyasha felt strange, mostly due to the fact that Myoga sucked out a considerable amount of blood from him, but the feeling made him feel sick none the less. What if Kagome didn't come through? What would happen, he couldn't even fathom a life without Kagome and they had only just revealed their feelings towards eachother just the other night. He never even spoke the words she deserved to hear because he was too nervous when the opportunity arose... He should have told her that he loved her... He was a coward.

"I think you should probably go and gather your comrades, they may stay in the extra bunks if they so choose." Shikaru said

Inuyasha nodded standing up without a word on weak legs to go out side.

...

Inuyasha stared out to the bright moon, he sat alone on the edge of the porch turing all the thoughts running through his head, he placed his head in his palms slouching in his frustration and he growled to himself.

When he had come outside he hadn't said much to the group just that they could sleep inside if the wanted to like Shikaru said. Shippo had a barrage of questions which Inuyasha did not answer because he couldn't bring himself to say a single word to anyone them of what has just happened. He was thankful that Miroku understood Inuyasha's mannerisms and saw the silence as a sign of not wanting to speak and needing some time alone. Miroku had hushed the young kit for the moment and told him to sleep since it was nearly dawn and much to the young boys frustration he did what he was told. They left Inuyasha lost to his thoughts and thats where he was still. Lost.

"What did I do?" He said to the twilight air.

"You did what you had to do Inuyasha." Sango's voice came from behind.

"You should be sleeping," He stated over his shoulder " and you too Miroku."

Sano turned to see her fiance as he walked out of the building into the chilly night air with Kilala walking at his heels.

"Couldn't since my fair lady was not there to warm me up." He said coming over beside Sango to drape a blanket over her shoulders.

Sango blushed and elbowed him "Miroku"

"So Myoga told you then..." Inuyasha said

"Yes, he told us of the very tough decision you had to make to make Inuyasha but you made the right one." Sango said softly sitting next to him.

Looking into her eyes he saw Sango reflect her sincerity, as she placed a hand warmly on his back.

But he still couldn't shake the unease, "But what if she doesn't want this?"

"Want's what?"

"Sango, you're a demon slayer... you know what might happen if I..." he trailed off looking at her with such intensity. "When she wakes up, if she's... you know... like me. Miyoga said I may have to... mark her."

"Is the marking necessary?" Miroku asked

"Yes, I had asked the same question to Myoga earlier and he informed me that Kagome may wake up and be in a demonic state which may need to be calmed by marking if that is the extremity. That is the only way her new blood would respond to Inuyasha."

She sighed and looked up at the moon that watched over them "Kagome will make it and I know what Myoga suggested may be dangerous, but it's the best chance she has. Besides we don't even know what may happen, she may turn out just fine."

"You saw her Sango, she's not going to turn out just fine..."

"Thats not very optimistic Inuyasha" Miroku said

"Well what if Kagome doesn't want to be bound to me..." He suddenly said

Sango sighed knowing that was the route of his concern "Inuyasha, I know Kagome want's to be with you, it's all she ever really wanted for so long. She will understand what you did for her, if not now... well then in time. She loves you and you know that too."

"But Sango..."

"You chose her, you protect her, you provide for her and sure it took you a heck of a long time to get your heart in the right place but you made it"

"Protect her!" He spat in self-disgust "look at what I let happen Sango!... What does that say, I can't even protect her from a fucking mole demon!"

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself Inuyasha!" She said sternly feeling her emotions swell within her. "No one is perfect! you can't always beat yourself up for things you have no control of, it always could have turned out differently but you can't change what has already been done. You just have to go on with whats at hand now, and right now it's Kagome's recovery nothing more, So get in there and watch over her you idiot!"

He nodded and stood solemnly, but went stiff when Sango stood and suddenly brought him into a fierce embrace, hiding her face from him. He smelt her tears.

He hugged her back awkwardly, not seeing the usually rough woman be so emotional unless it was regarding her past, she had never hugged him before. Inuyasha noticed the slight pout from Miroku making Inuyasha roll his eyes.

"I'm just glad you brought her back, I can't lose someone else close to me..." Sango whimpered

He gave her a friendly hug back, feeling slightly awkward because him and the demon slayer had never been this close before but felt a warmth and security within the embrace. "I won't lose her Sango. Not again, don't worry... and thanks for listening to my crap."

Pulling away and wiping her tears she sniffed "You're welcome."

Kilala mew'd as her ears perked and she looked towards what ever caught her attention.

"Master Inuyasha! Master Inuyasha!" Myoga piped jumping from nowhere.

Kilala pounced on him smothering Myoga with her paws.

"Kilala" Sango scolded

The cat demon moved away casually from her caught pray and sat down once again licking her paw.

"My poor back" Myoga groaned

"Whats wrong Myoga?" Sango frowned

"Yeah, what it is old flea?" Inuyasha answered sternly sensing the small fleas panic as Myoga jumped onto his sleeve.

"It's the villagers, they somehow heard of the ritual! They are gathering to drive us out of the village, they think we preformed a curse on lady Kagome. I think they mean to exterminate you and her!"

Sango gasped "Lady Shikaru would not let that happen, would she?"

"This is out of my control" Shikaru said coming from the building "One of my pupils informed them, forgive my poor judgment."

"Grrr" Inuyasha growled in annoyance "Can't you tell them to piss off!"

The doctor shook her head grimly "I'm afraid the villagers are too agitated, there has been a string of murders over the past few weeks by rouge demons, please forgive them they only mean to protect their families."

"Fine" Inuyasha said calmly earning him some shocked looks from the group around him. "Is she well enough to move right now?"

"You're not going to fight on this?" Sango said shocked

"If they don't wan't me here I'll leave but I'm not leaving Kagome like this ESPECIALLY HERE, so I'll ask again... is Kagome safe to move?"

"She should be stable enough but-" Myoga said

"Good enough" Inuyasha said suddenly looking at Miroku and Sango who were giving him a weird look "... what?"

Sango stared at him with a gaped mouth "Inuyasha... you're being so..."

"-Reasonable" Miroku finished

He huffed out a "What ever" and turned back to Myoga "I think Kagome should wake up in a familiar place, and this place is shit anyways..." looking over to Shikaru he grimaced at his blatant insult "No offence."

"I don't blame you for holding a grudge demon." She said

"Alright then it's settled I'll go gather our things and get Shippo up" Miroku said

"You may take the blanket lain upon her to keep her warm though your journey" Shikaru said

"Thank you a great deal Lady Shikaru were are eternally grateful" Myoga bowed

Inuyasha left to retrieve Kagome. Coming out with her carefully cradled in his arms wrapped in a blanket, he worried for her still fresh wounds and her discomfort.

"I gave her a heavy sedative while you were outside, she should not awake for some time and should feel no pain" Shikaru informed

He felt a small sense of relief that Kagome wasn't in much pain but he still held her with the care for a delicate feather "Thanks."

"Ready Inuyasha?" Sango asked as Kilala transformed.

"Yeah"

"hmm? wah-whats wrong is Kagome ok?" Shippo moaned as Miroku carried him out the door in his arms.

"Were leaving for the village Shippo it's not safe here for Miss Kagome or master Inuyasha." Myoga said landing on him

"Were going back? Is she well enough to go?"

"Don't worry about Kagome runt she'll be ok" Inuyasha said trying hard to not show the uncertainty of his words.

The group made quick work of preparing to leave and just as Kilala took to the sky and Inuyasha turned to say 'Thanks' ones more when-

"Inuyasha" Shikaru suddenly called out

Inuyasha stopped, hearing his name being spoken for the first time by the woman. Looking over to the group waiting for him to go he nodded towards them saying "I'll catch up" and he turned back to the doctor.

"I do not know how this may affect her but you cannot, and I implore you too heed this. Can not mate with that girl,"

He stared at her intensely wanting to snap back a comment like "shut up", or "fuck off." but he held his tongue and allowed her to continue curious at why she was saying all this now.

"For a priestess to have power she must remain pure, surely you must know this. Your blood has already tainted her and who knows how it may hinder her abilities. You must control that demon within you, it is clear of it's intentions and though I hold little judgement, I as a woman bound to Kami I am concerned for her as well. Her powers are extraordinary, she is the one I have heard of so much around the villages. A strange girl from an unknown land that is the holder of the Shikon jewel shards. I have sensed it in your possession this whole time."

Inuyasha looked a little surprised at her bluntness and didn't know what to say. he turned away from her "Thank's for the help." and with that he left grudgingly.

...

Kaede picked herbs in the field accross the cannal on the outskirts of the village, she wiped away the sweat of her brow groaning from her aching bones and then continued to her task knowing that some hardships of others were far greater then her medial chores.

A wind brushed through the valley and with it she heard a familiar pad of bare feet on the grass behind her along with the familiar aura of a certain half demon and another... This one was a weak spiritual aura all to familiar as well, it was shared with her late sister Kikyo but yet something was strange about it... it was mixed with a wild demonic aura, but surely that could not be...

Kaede turned and gasped to see Inuyasha fall before her with Kagome in his arms as a strange tainted energy surged from them.

"Inuyasha?" Kaede exclaimed rushing to him as fast as her old legs could take her, "Oh my Kagome! what has happened to ye both to be in such an awful state?"

Before Inuyasha could speak he was hit once again with the unbearable pain of pure energy surging from Kagome and he cried out in agony.

The poor elder could only watch as the couple were shocked with an unbelievably strong power "Dear Kami"

"I'm fine, it's- it's Kagome…" He cringed struggling to one knee.

Keade came examined the young girl "She has been mended for wounds, and so many there are! tell me was there an altercation with Naraku?"

"Kaede!" Shippo called out as she group descended on Kilala

"Inuyasha!" Sango gasped jumping off and coming to his side "We told you to take it easy."

Keade was baffled at what was happening "Sango what has happened here?"

"It's quite a long story Lady Kaede" Miroku informed "She fell from the Nacchi water fall, we have come from the village just to the west where the doctor there mended her" Miroku informed

"The Nacchi Water Falls!"

"Kaede we need a room, away from the village perhaps the travellers hut?" Sango said

"Ay it is not in use, you may bring her there. But perhaps my home would be more suitable for treating her wounds?"

"Her wounds will heal soon Lady Kaede" Myoga said "and Kagome's condition is yet to be determined, she may transition it's only safe for the village if we keep them inclosed somewhere else."

"Myoga you are here as well?" Kaede said surprised

"Greetings Priestess Kaede, allow me to fill you in to the situation with Master Inuyasha and Lady Kagome, it's quite a difficult one. ."

Inuyasha cringed as another wave of energy shocked him rendering him immobile once again, Kagome voiced her pain this time with a gasp and groan of discomfort as she tensed.

Kilala hissed and grabbed Shippo by the collar pulling him away quickly to escape the surge of purifying energy.

Shippo shivered at the disturbing power that made him feel ill "Thanks Kilala."

"It'd be best if you two stay back for a while" Miroku said towards the air born Kilala and Shippo "It's getting worse."

"What has happened?" Kaede asked

"Kagome is purifying herself, as you can see-"

"Miroku we'll explain what heppened after" Sango interrupted struggling to pick up the nearly unconscious Inuyasha"Please Kaede we need to take them to a place to rest"

"Ay of course child! take them to the Wanderers hut."

Miroku and Sango helped Inuyasha with Kagome towards the village.

"Shippo may ye run to my home and get some supplies for me?" Kaede asked the boy

"Right away Kaede!" Shippo exclaimed feling like he was being sent on an important mission. "Lets hurry Kilala" and with a *whoosh* of her paws she was gone.

Myoga jumped off Kilala before she left and landed on Kaede's head "Come priestess Kaede there is much to tell you!"

"Ay, So it would seem."

...

He sat there like a watch dog examining her intently watching her slight rise of the chest with each breath and twitch, Myoga said she could wake up at any moment and that's what he expected 'at any moment.' He was tense with anticipation but weary from exhaustion from the shocks of energy he and Kagome would receive every so often.

_'Now.. Now?... Nnnow?'_ he toyed in his mind despite the seriousness of the situation. It helped pass the time as Miroku placed sutras all over the wall to seal them in.

"Master?" a voice said as he stared intensley at Kagome "Master!" Inuyasha blinked dryly and slowly looked over to the flea who looked disgruntled, had he been talking the whole time? what ever, what did it mater...

"This is important!"

... or maybe it did.

Inuyasha turned back to reality and finally responded with a lazy "what?"

"Inuyasha please listen, I'm only trying to prepare you for the worst, your already experiencing spiritual shocks from lady Kagome that means the blood is working"

"Yeah... those suck" Inuyasha grumbled _'wait... did he just say lady Kagome?'_

"Ye would be wise to listen to the Fleas knowledge Inuyasha" Kaede chastised placing a fresh cloth on her forehead.

"Shut it old hag" Inuyasha growled

"Inuyasha really don't be so crass, were only trying to help" Miroku said as he placed another sutra on the wall

"Whatever" He mumbled

"Master you must understand, if lady Kagome were too awaken in a demonic like sate she may not recognize you. Much like when you transform and you do not recognize your comrades and only seek to kill,"

That got his attention fully.

"She may rely on her instincts and may find you to be a threat."

Inuyasha frowned, he knew all too well how it was so lose himself to his demonic side and kill for the pleasure of it... but Kagome? She couldn't even kill a fly let alone try and hurt him, could she? "and if she were to... " He didn't want to finnish that "How would I bring her back she doesn't have a Tetsuiga like I do

"Well it may be the only way but how demons males calm their female is to assert their dominance and well... make them submit."

Inuyasha's ear twitched and he glared towards the smirking monk who had made a _"Hmmm" _of interest. "and how the hell do I do that?"

"Well you would have to complete the blood ritual by marking her and that in turn should force her to give herself to you."

Inuyasha tensed as all eyes drew to him, he blushed furiously 'G_ive herself to me?'_

Miroku coughed on purpose.

"Shut it Monk!" Inuyasha barked

"Pardon me, but did I say anything?" Mioku said slyly

*SMACK!*

Miroku rubbed his arm furiously in pain.

"Stop bothering him Miroku, your not even done sealing the hut yet." Sango growled

Inuyasha blushed and turned back to Myoga "What if I hurt her?"

"You won't harm her, maybe a rough her up a tad but your demon cannot, will not hurt her."

"What if I can't change back?"

"You will because your not dying you'll have almost full control of what you do when you're a full demon."

Inuyasha sighed, he could keep asking all these stupid questions and get the same answers 'whatever happens happens' is what he basically got from it all and he realized he needed to be prepared for what may come, he can't have any doubts about this... it's too late for doubts.

Miroku placed once more sutra over the door frame "That should be good."

"Ok then master I've told you all I know"

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably.

Myoga hopped out of the hut and looked back to him at the door "Good luck master"

He started to panic "Wait! I don't know if I'm ready, I'm gunna fuck this up, I always fuck things up!"

"You'll do fine Inuyasha" Miroku assured him and with the slide of the door and a slap of a sutra on the outside, Inuyasha was sealed in with Kagome.

"We'll check in on you soon, I'll make you some Ramen to eat" Sango said from the other-side.

"Just remember master to listen to your instincts!"

Inuyasha didn't say anything back he just leaned on his arm and continued to watch over Kagome.

*******Back to present time Inyasha*********

His stomach growled loudly _'Damn I'm really hungry' _but he knew he would just get sick from it.

'_Not eating for days isn't healthy for humans... should I try feeding her something?_' He thought in concern.

His hair suddenly stood on end and he braced himself for what he knew was coming.

A bright purple light enveloped the entire room. "AHH! FUCKING SHIT!" He screamed as the strongest of pulses nearly shook the building. He breathed in sharp shaking breaths, and starred at the sealing in shock as his body twitched, but he saw something strange.

A dark and light energy swirling above them crackling like lighting as they violently mixed together. The heat that came off this strange malevolent cloud was so intense the candle within the room burned a little brighter and the wax receded significantly, Inuyasha had never felt a pain such as this, he was being burned alive and couldn't move. It was as if he was being purified continuously and not allowed the gratification of being knocked out or forced to turn human, no this was worse then anything, and it dawned on him it wasn't just pure energy it was a foreign demonic energy unlike his own and the hostile demonic energy was what didn't allow him to turn human and forced him to suffer this agony.

An unexplained wind swirled around the room and the energy rushed down upon Kagome's entire body.

Feeling as though a mountain had lifted off him he lugged himself up to sit and looked over her making sure she was alright despite his tremendous pain, but there was nothing wrong with her she looked fine and he didn't feel anything different about her and that energy was gone... or was it?

"What the.."

He sniffed... Something about her scent was different.

Her aura pulsed, again... and again! But what happened next horrified him.

Kagome's eyes shot open and she began to scream. A scream that made his hair stand on end and made his heart leap in fear like it never had before. She sat up despite her wounds and held her head screaming louder and louder!

"Kagome! Kagome whats wrong?" He asked frantically coming over to hold her.

She continued to scream and hold the sides of her head, tears flowing freely down her face. He peeled a one of her hands away to reveal what ever she was pressing. He gasped and let go of her hand as if it had burnt him.

Her ear it was... it was melting into her body! Her screams grew louder and she thrashed her body wildly in his arms.

She began to cry out madly "MAKE IT STOP? MAKE IT STOP!"

Inuyasha didn't know what to do he just held her tight and sat frozen in fear. What was happening to her!

She moved her hands away and covered her face as she continued to scream in torture and her body began to shake. He could sense the waves of pain radiating off her in a strange way though he did not personally feel any sort of torment of his own... Except the fact that she was in such a frightening state and he felt helpless to it all. Looking down at her he could only stare in shock as her ears melded away to leave nothing but smooth skin in there place. Suddenly her screams cut off and she seemed to hold her breath, her body also suddenly froze and the look in her eyes held a look of pure terror as her shaky hands moved away from her face.

Whatever was happening to her got worse, A LOT WORSE, so much worse that she couldn't even voice it and she choked on silent pain.

Inuyasha gasped at the sight he saw, "Holy fuck..."

Something was coming out of her head!

A small pink nub and then another! Both evenly separated on the top, her hair parting around them as her scalp adjusted to the new insertion of skin. They grew slowly, unfurling and taking the shape of two small triangular pieces of flesh on top of her head.

_'No... those can't be!'_

Kagome caught his attention once again, she muffled out a whimper and clamped her hands over her mouth screaming into them. She closed her eyes and began to move wildly in his arms once again, he had to hold her down with a rough force.

Kagome finally calmed and went limp... she was unconscious again.

Holding her close in his arms he gazed down stunned in fear where he notices her canine fangs portruding over her lip. Kagome's scent had changed completely within those long fearful minutes. Though she still smelled like herself the transfused blood running through her veins didn't smell like his blood anymore it was as if it became her own blood... with her own demonic aura. Without thinking he opened the robes of her Kimono and tore away her bandages and gaped in amazement.

Her wounds were healed, it was as if they were never there!

Blushing, realizing that he was blatantly staring at her breasts he quickly covered her.

He stared down completely stunned at Kagome's transformed body. Her form seemed more defied, more lean and muscular, she had small sharp claws instead of smooth human nails, fangs and dog ears that had rapidly grown soft raven fir that matched her hair. He couldn't help himself he had to touch them he had to see if they were real... he reached.

Her ears flinched away from his fingers that bearly touched the fine hairs but he took them softly rubbing them slowly.

She groaned and tensed. His eyes widened and he dropped his hands away from her new appendages when he suddenly smelt her scent getting thicker _'NO FUCKING WAY!'_

She smelt like a demon, a dog demon! and when he had touched her ears she had reacted in a very shocking way. It was the smell of arousal, pleasure most likely. The feeling of having ones dog ears rubbed felt euphoric at times even to him, and sometimes it was calming aswell; and Kagome had them!

The strong aura pulsated from her body again, he could feel the rise of the demonic energy and the air became tense.

_'What's happening?'_

***Kagome POV***

Her body was numb and her senses where spiraling out of control her demon blood began to kick in as it responded to her near death situation. Kagome snapped her eyes open and she gasped at the male hovering over her. He spoke to her but his voice cut through her eardrums like a knife, it was like in that instant she heard and smelt everything, feeling her body being thrown into a vertigo like state she gagged on it all. Struggling to get up Kagome pushed the male away from her, standing and jumping towards the corner she smashed against the wall struggling for breath, staring at the demon trapped in the small space with her. Kagome's instincts told her he was a threat, but his scent... she somehow new this scent, but why? who was he? who was she? where was she? why was she here? He spoke to her again and she cried out putting her hands on her ears as his voice hurt her once again. She could feel her blood boil, there was a sickening battle stirring within her, something wanted out, and something wanted what ever it was out!

Closing her eyes tight and feeling like she was on fire she hissed in pain, but it all went away as a strange glow engulfed her body and faded quickly.

Suddenly feeling hands on her Kagome lashed out her claws at him, but he dodged her attack.

She raised her claws and readied to strike again, she had to escape but something about his aura told her that he had other plans as his youki rose. So she made the first move.

***Inuyasha POV**

He struggled to hold her at arms length as she litterally tried to claw his eyes out "Snap out of it kagome!"

_'Fuck she's strong!'_ He hisses as she swiped his chest with her claws tearing some skin making his demon stir within him. He looked into her red eyes, her iris's were purple. _'She's full demon!'_

**_'Make her submit!'_**

'_Not now!'_

'**_The flea said to listen!'_** The rough voice hissed

'_To my instincts! Not my demon!'_ He mentally lashed back.

His heart suddenly lurched within him he pushed her across the room more roughly than he would have liked but he clutched his chest as it thumped hard. '_What's happening?'_ He could feel his demon blood burn in his veins, he struggled to hold it back clutching onto the Tetsuaiga with his free hand. Kagome suddenly lunged again, he dodged a kick to his side but there wasn't enough room for him to manoeuvre out of her reach allowing her to get one good connection against his jaw. Staggering back he wiped away the blood off his cheek with the back of his hand, his heart leapt again '_Shit I can't hold it back anymore,'_ he thought as he felt his fangs lengthen.

'_No!'_

_**'Do not fight it.'**_ The voice told him.

'_The hell I wont! This isn't the time to transform!'_

The tension in the room was growing thicker, Kagome growled menicingly at him but she did not move from her defensive stance.

'**_It must be done to complete the blood bond'_**

_'Blood bond?'_ He cringed as it slowly took over his claws lengthened painfully '_Stop!'_

**_'Mate' _**was the last thing he heard before he was subconsciously thrown out of his own body.

...

Something about him was changing making her quiver slightly at the rise of his energy, and now this was no longer the same demon she was fighting before. An odd thing about his aura lured her towards him in, and at the same time made her want to fight back harder in defiance against his powerful dominance.

She suddenly turned and hit the wall with all her might in an attempt to escape but she was shocked by a barrier making her hiss out in pain.

There was no way out and if she couldn't get out she would just have to kill this male to survive.

Looking back at his blood red eyes he suddenly growled low to her "Submit."

She growled at him and boldly lunged forward knocking him to the floor. They lashed and struggled on the ground and Inuyasha fought to the best of his ability without hurting her too much because although he was full demon it still didn't want to hurt her too much, it was against his better nature. He grasped onto her wrists painfully tight to stop her from clawing his face and straddled her waist.

"Unhand me!" She struggled against his hold growling and kicking madly to escape.

"Do not fight me!" he commanded

Kagome showed her defiance by head butting him in the nose, making the full demon falter slightly but he did not let go of his grasp on her. They continued to tussle until Kagome managed to claw herself away and stand but was not able to get far when Inuyasha tackled her back, they moved in a struggle against one another knocking into walls and knocking over shelves. They're strength was nearly matched but Inuyasha soon proved that he was the alpha in this fight.

"If you will not obey me I'll make you submit bitch!" He said turning her roughly so her back was against him, and wrapped strong arms around her so she couldn't move as much.

She somehow understood what he was doing and thrashed violently against him as he nuzzled her robe away from her shoulder exposing her neck. She growled and clawed at his arms digging her nails roughly into his arm drawing blood and tearing flesh.

Something within her made her feel like it was life or death to get away from him, something told her she couldn't back down unless he proved himself to her...

He stepped forward swiftly bringing her roughly against the wall, and pinning her still.

"I will not ask again, submit!" He hissed in her ear.

Kagome struggled to breath as he pressed her harder against the wall, she was exhausted and could feel herself become weak with her overexerted fight against the stronger Inuyasha. She suddenly froze when she felt a dull sting on her left shoulder where he lightly pressed his fangs, and he growled again menacingly. She somehow knew what he wanted and everything in her screamed at the anguish of her inevitable defeat, but against her better instinct her body calmed and she relaxed in his hold relieving his arms of her death grip. Despite the reluctance of it everything in her instincts told her to back down because the male behind her could easily tear her throat out if she didn't do so.

She whimpered softly in defeat and slightly tilted her head to the side to allowing him better access to her throat to show her complete and utter submission. She could feel his aura surround her, she felt safe in the familiar warmth and suddenly felt relieved to give herself to this male... but why?

His chest rumbled low as he showed his approval in her submission, nuzzling her neck with her nose his demon wanted more from her, he wanted her to fully give herself to him.

She tensed as he sunk his fangs into her shoulder. With a sudden gasp her body went limp and she was held up by his strong arms.

Something inside them both erupted in a warm glow and they could feel each others heart beat as one. Slowly they calmed she relaxed into his hold his teeth sinking in deeper making something rise up within her. They could feel there auras reach out to one another and connect them in a way they couldn't describe.

_'Remember Kagome'_ A familiar male voice told her

'_Remember what?'_ Memories flashed behind her eyes, _'My name... it's Kagome? Kagome Higurashi?'_ She thought.

_'Mama, Souta, Grandpa, Bouyo?'_ Her child hood emerged from the depths and everything else flooded in after. The well, mistresses centipede, Shippo, Sango, Miroku, Kilala, Kaede and...

Blinking away the red of her eyes her blood slowly calmed and she whispered out loud in the dark room"Inu-yasha."

Like a crack of a whip he snapped back from his demonic state at the sound of his name from her lips. Like Kagome, his fangs receded along with his nails and the sinister tense air of their youki fizzled away. He swallowed and felt the thick mouthful of blood run down his throat like liquid metal.

'_Kagome?'_

Realizing he still had a vise grip on her shoulder he carefully withdrew his fangs making her gasp in pain.

He looked down at her heavily bleeding shoulder in awe _'I marked her, she's mine...'_ and then he began to instinctively lick the wound clean to stop the bleeding.

"Kagome" He whispered between laps.

She stood still, her skin prickling at the feel of his tongue on her shoulder, she was so confused, what was happening to her? why was she hearing all these things, and smelling all these things? what was this feeling within her that terrified her?

She never realized how frantic her breathing became, thought she could feel a coming panic swelling inside her.

Inuyasha senses her fear and embrace her from behind lapping her neck more slowly, trying to reach out to her with his aura to comfort her and it did.

'That_ feels nice'_ She suddenly thought as the hot moist tongue lulled her out of her daze.

She slowly opened her eyes as if for the first time and struggled to focus within the dim light. Her muscles ached, her head felt like it was split in two, her ears rung loudly and she could hear two distinct ba-bumps of hearts beating loudly. Somehow she knew one was hers, she could feel it in her chest beating with her pulse, and the other one... she could smell him, that sent she used to faintly smell when she rode on his back had somehow magnified. The scent of the earth, the trees, the wind and a smooth male musk was something all to familiar. She felt the presence behind her shift and turn her around to face him. She looked up at golden eyes in utter confusion, everything felt so unreal. Why was she feeling all these things she couldn't understand, and sensing all the things she knew to be familiar with such intensity it made her head spin?

As uncontrollable tears gathered in her eyes his face finally registered in her mind "Inuyasha?"

His expression confused her even more, it was after relief and shock. Inuyasha dropped to his knees before her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing against her desperately.

"You're alright," He said breathlessly

Wincing at how loud he spoke she could somehow smell his tears. Well... what she thought were tears anyway. The smell was familiar to her none the less it smelt the way they taste, sweet yet salty.

She took his face in her hands and tilted his head up to look up at her, she could see the shimmer in his eyes confirming her strange sense of smell.

He slowly stood up.

"What happened?" She asked him innocently, worried because she never seem him look so upset... or relieved?

He choked out a laugh and kissed her suddenly.

Shocked by the taste of her own blood in his mouth Kagome couldn't help but pressed into him further feeling his desperation in his actions, she could also feel her own rise in tears as the harsh confusion of what was happening hit her hard._ 'What happened to me?'_

Pulling away and looking down into her eyes he embraced her warmly again swallowing the lump in his throat thinking of how hard it would be to explain everything that had happened in the past few days. "Kagome, You fell."

Looking more confused Kagome frowned. "Fell?... off what?"

He shuttered at the memory "The cliff Kagome. After we were attacked by that mole demon. You don't remember?"

"Well," She paused and pulled away from him with a light hand against his chest, to think off absently and struggled to get over the haze of memories. "You were supposed to come get me from my home. I remember... seeing you with Kikio." She frowned at him but it faded, " ThenI remember falling into the river and losing the jewel... The hut" She suddenly blushed "You- You chose me."

He flushed when she smiled brightly up at him.

More memories came back to her, she continued. "Then the mole demon and falling into the river again. I was in so much pain. I-I couldn't breath and then nothing... no wait, I remember hearing your voice and feeling a pulsing aura like it was calling me back or something. And you said...you said you love me." Her eyes shone brightly.

He smiled "So you heard me?"

She flushed and nodded meekly biting her lip."Ouch!" Kagome suddenly hissed pulling her teeth away as two small trails of blood ran down either side of her bottom lip. Wiping the blood away with her hand she felt herself scraping the top of her hand across her fangs, she jumped and pulled her hand away as she cut skin, looking down at it she now notice the claws on her hands as well.

"Wh-whats going on?" Her voice quivered

"Kagome" He said in a more serious tone. "Sit with me."

Kagome's stomach turned in an uneasy way, he had never said anything like that to her before or in such a grave tone but his actions seemed familiar. It reminded her of the past when she was just a little girl, her mother sat her down and told her there was an accident with her father.

He let go of his hold on her and Kagome finally realized just how weak her legs felt, she nearly fell but he held her again.

"I think that's a good idea" She chuckled at herself.

He sat her down on the futon she had been resting on earlier and went over to re-light some candles. He sat near her his eyes casted down.

The smell of the burning wick assaulted her nose and she pinched it shut in an attempt to stop the aroma from making her sick.

With a sigh he proceeded to tell Kagome of the past few days and the hard desicions he had to make in the softest voice h could. When he was done he simply stared at her through an uncertain frown.

Kagome just stared at him with a blank face, no emotion but perhaps slight confusion lined her brows.

Finally feeling too uneasy with the silence he struggled out "Kagome, you ok?"

She snapped out of her stare and gave him a half hearted smile with a nod "So Myoga gave me you're blood?"

He nodded back.

"And I was dying?"

"Uh Yeah, I had to-"

"I know, give me your blood."

He felt nervous about her calmness.

"And you and I have been in here for 3 days... alone?" She blushed

He nodded again.

She looked down at her claws, they felt like normal nails but they were thicker, harder and more deadlier.

"I've changed a lot haven't I..." she sated.

"Kagome..."

She suddenly reached for her head brushing her fingers over the hair over the area that once had her human hears making her gasp. As he talked to her his voice sounded more clearer more crisp and louder but focused on a more broader area on her body and it didn't feel right and she confirmed it by reaching for her ears or lack there of. He took her hands quickly before she reached for her 'other' ears and she looked at him with wide eyes.

"Kagome wait"

She slightly pulled from his hold, the look on her face and her silence told him to not stop her. So he allowed her to continue with great hesitation.

She gasped sharply, her left hand leaving to cover her mouth while she froze with her right hand latched onto an appendage. She made a small whimper as she touched the sensitive inner hairs of her 'ears', which sent a new kind of shiver down her spine.

Inuyasha struggled to swallow the lump in his throat.

"They're,"

Inuyasha's heart leapt with panic, _'She's going to freak, she hates me. How could I do this to her!'_ were some of the millions of thoughts racing through his brain at that moment.

"-so soft!" Kagome squealed in delight.

Inuyasha blinked in shock "Wh-what?"

A huge smile spread across her face as she tweaked them both playfully and shivered uncontrollably, "That-that feels good!" She gasped

His mouth dropped open and he sputtered on his toungue "Y-Youre not mad?"

Pulling her hands away from her plush appendages she pouted at him with a confused frown "Why would I be? you did what you had to do to save me, right?"

He was flooded by a sense of relief _'She's not_mad.'

"Yeah, but..."

"Ouch!" Kagome suddenly hissed as she touched the soreness on her shoulder wondering why it throbbed so persistently "Inuyasha did-did you bite me?"

Now he was tongue tied, how was he supposed to tell her that he marked her without her permission! in demon standards it just as despicable as forcing yourself on a female. No other man would want her now that she was claimed by a demon and demons would know she is bound to another. She was stuck with him as much as that thrilled him he was more concerned on how to tell her what it meant and how she would react.

"I...I marked you, too make you're demon submit to me, well I mean my demon marked you." He fumbled awkwardly "You would have tried to kill me or died trying if I didn't."

"Kill you?" She gasped "I would never! I mean- I didn't mean to... I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize wench thats just instinct, when a female demon is told to submit to a male she'll fight until he overpowers her.."

Kagome nodded running her finger tips over the mark accidentally and wincing "So what does it mean? Sango said that demons mark there mates with bites sometimes."

'_Well at least dog demons do, since thats what demon I asked her about_' She thought with a small smile. Kagome was often curious oF Inuyasha's heritage but always to shy to ask him of it, so she usually resorted to asking Sango about some of Inuyasha's instinctual mannerisms. Then it dawned on her _'Then this mark means...'_

Inuyasha's face burned _'Damn it Sango... well she has to know anyway, it's not like i could hide something this serious from her forever, or until it was official.'_

"Kagome... that mark, it means... well technically it's," he swallowed hard "it means that your mine."

"Yours?" She blinked "like... yours as in, your mate?"

Inuyasha's face burned "Well technically no, but that mark it shows others that you belong to someone, demons would know."

"So... I'm not your mate?" Kagome lowered

He looked at her surprised '_She sounded almost disappointed?'_

Clearing his dry throat yet again he continued "N-no-well yes too, but to really be m-mates we would have to uh..."

Kagome blushed realizing what he was trying to get at. They would actually have to MATE to be MATED. "It's ok you don't have to finnish that..."

"Myoga said it may fade in time, if your worried about scarring and all." He looked away "If I were a full demon it would have been permanent."

Something in her panicked at the thought of the mark fading, it was as if he were rejecting her indirectly; either way her demon didn't seem to like it. "No!" she blurted out loud.

His mouth dropped and he gaped at her in shock. _'Did she just say?...'_

"N-no?" He repeated dumby

Kagome traced her palm lightly with her tips of her claws in her lap "I mean. We are...you know... together now, right? I mean I wouldn't really mind if people thought I was yours anyway." she blushed

Inuyasha's heart leapt "You don't?"

"No, it's kind of like having a badge of honour I guess" she smiled trying to see the mark.

A sense of pride and an acceptance Inuyasha never felt welled up inside his chest, a smirk playing on his rather shocked features.

"I just hope it doesn't look so fearce for too long... why? Do you want it to fade?"

He took her face in his hands and kissed her softly, he couldn't hold it back anymore. the fact she was alright, talking to him, and not mad at being changed he felt overwhelmed with emotions when she said having his mark was like a badge of honour.

Kagome leaned into his tender kiss and relished in the feeling of his aura wrapping around her, his scent was now calming her 'out of control' sences and his touch. This Kiss was different, this kiss was intensified tenfold. She could smell, taste and feel all of him in a strange way like they were connected by the senses she could somehow sense his emotions and his intentions as she smells a strange sent that triggered her own interesting response as he played his tongue hesitantly into her mouth.

"Inuyasha!" Shippo's voice rang out making the two instantly separate.

"Master Inuyasha!"

With a growl Inuyasha barked out "What!" towards the wall the voices came from.

"We all sensed a strong demonic force coming from here so we rushed over to see if you were alright!" Miroku said

"How is Kagome doing?" Sango asked in a worried tone.

He looked down at Kagome in the dim lighting and could see her eyes casted down bashfully. "Umm I'm ok" her small voice came

They heard the door pry open and and winced as the light of dawn entered the room and a cold breeze whipped their hair about their faces.

Miroku stuck his head in "Everything alright- oh my" he suddenly gasped seeing Kagome and Inuyasha very close together. "Sorry if were inturrupting anything."

"M-Miroku!" Kagome stuttered in embarrassment.

Miroku blinked in surprise "Oh! Kagome you look like-"

"Get your damn nose outta here ya dick-hole" Inuyasha suddenly growled

Miroku lifted his hands and backed away. "Should we come back later?"

"Shut it monk!"

Inuyasha stood and offered Kagome a hand but she found she couldn't stand on her own, without much effort he picked her up under the knees and scooped her up.

"Inu-" she blushed

"You should take it easy wench, you can't even walk."

"Al-alright" she agreed realizing that even she felt incredibly weak.

The horizon heat hit their faces hard and made them both squint in discomfort as Inuyasha stepped out of the hut that they had been trapped in for 3 days, he breathed in deep and Kagome plugged her nose.

"Are you both alright?" Sango rushed in a hurry as they stepped forth.

It was a bloodied zombie like mess, Kagome still had loose bandages drapping off her body, they both looked as though they had gone through hell and back with their clothes crusted with blood and exhausted faces.

"Fine." Inuyasha said gruffly wincing when he sorely adjusted Kagome as she slightly slipped in his dull arms.

"Kagome!" Shippo cried happily jumping on her he hugged her tightly.

"Hey Shippo" Kagome's giggled hugging the young kit back much to Inuyasha's irritation.

"Careful with her runt" He bit out

Shippo lowered his enthusiasm, looking at her as if he had done something very wrong he mumbled "Sorry Kagome..."

Kagome shot Inuyasha a look, "You didn't hurt me Shippo Inuyasha is just being overprotective"

Shippo looked up at the woman he loved like a mother with the most widest eyes "You have dog ears just like Inuyashas now!" he said amazed

"Wow you... I mean your now a..."" Sango stumbled in shock at her friends obvious difference in...species.

Kagome blushed at everyones intense stares.

Shippo observed her sniffing cautiously "Are you half demon now Kagome? You kinda smell like one but still smell like the same as before too."

"No she's not quite a half demon she has more human in her due to the fact that she was born a human." Myoga stated

Kagome tilted her head "Oh, Flea Myoga? when did you get here?"

"Oh I suppose I hadn't made my self know to you yet, forgive me my lady I have been here the whole time."

"So I'm almost half demon?" Kagome asked

"Your taking this quite well Kagome," Miroku smiled "Inuyasha was worried that-" the half demon growled interrupting him "glad to see your healthy and safe."

Sango stepped in closer looking over Kagome curiously "Oh Kagome, you look like your glowing!" Sango awed at Kagome's more distinguished features.

"Are you feeling alright?" Miroku asked

Kagome reviewed her self for a moment "Just fine actually, my ears are ringing a little and the smells are a bit overwhelming but it isn't as bad as before."

"Wow Inuyasha what happened to your face?" Shippo asked looking up at him and the bruised jaw.

"Did Kagome do that?" Miroku laughed

"Yeah" Inuyasha mumbled

"I did?" She exclaimed in shock

"I warned you that Lady Kagome would be aggressive," Myoga said jumping up on his shoulder

"Your still here old pest?"

"Of course I had to ensure Lady Kagomes safe transition, and like I said I told you she may get aggressive."

"Was I really that out of control?" Kagome said in concern.

"Keh, It didn't hurt all you got was one good punch, nothing I couldn't handle." He said casually

"From the looks of it she got more then a good punch in" Miroku commented gesturing to Inuyasha's bloodied arm

"Oh really? Care to go for another " Kagome dared

Inuyasha smiled glad that despite all that had happened to them within the past few days that she was acting like herself.

"That would be interesting" Miroku said

Sango suddenly smacked him over the head

The slayer huffed "Pervert."

"Why is everyone hitting me so often?" Miroku grumbled

"Because you keep making inappropriate comments!" Sango exclaimed

"What? Now that Kagome is a half demon I just assumed Inuyasha would train her how to fight with her new strengths"

"What?" Kagome said nervous about fighting with Inuyasha.

"I never thought about that," Inuyasha said

"But I don't know how to fight!" Kagome panicked

"Don't worry I'll be gentle" Inuyasha grinned

"Monk Miroku is right Kagome, you should learn what kind of abilities you have acquired."

Inuyasha spoke over the group "Alright everyone shut it and let her breath."

"He's right, you just relax Kagome" Sango said

"I will go back to the Western lands and find out more about what kind of effects of the blood bond may have on a priestess." Myoga concluded

"You have mentioned the west a few times now Myoga, what is in the west?" Miroku inquires curiously looking at Inuyasha

"Inuyasha has not spoken of it? it is his fathers domain and is now ruled by-"

A fierce growl cut in "You sure are pushing it you old shit" Inuyasha growled

"Inuyasha, stop being so rude to Myoga!" Kagome hissed and then turned a calm face to the old flea "Thank you for helping me Myoga I really appreciate it."

"It was all I could do, I'm just glad I was able to help you my lady, I am at your service now."

Kagome looked at him funny "At my service?"

"Whats with all this my lady crap?" Inuyasha frowned

Kagome nudged him hard.

"Well Master now that you and lady Kagome are bound by a blood bond she is now you're legitimate mate though you two have not consummated that part of the ritual it is my duty to serve as both yours and Lady Kagome's ward"

The couple blushed.

"Th-that isn't necessary Myoga" Kagome stuttered uncomfortably

"But I must my lady! it is my duty and it is for your own good! I will seek the council of the west to know how this transformation will change you're spiritual abilities."

Before Inuyasha could say something on the subject Kagome shifted up right a bit more.

"I ALMOST FORGOT!" She exclaimed

"What is it Kagome?" Shippo said confused

"Did you find the jewel shard?" Kagome asked hopefully

Sango looked at Kagome with a frown "You don't see it? It's been with Inuyasha the whole time."

Kagome blinked taking in what Sango had just said "No. I-I didn't know"

Sango's eyes widened "Kagome..."

Kagome gasped bring her hands over her mouth realizing what Sango meant.

"You don't see it on him?" Miroku said in bewilderment

Kagome shook her head looking up at Inuyasha.

"You-you can't sense it?" He said

Kagome shook her head again, and whimpered out a sound as tears gathered in her eyes.

Sango shifted in front of her friend.

"No... I can't sense it at all"

Sango took Kagome's hands into hers "It's ok Kagome just breath, and try to focus for a second. You can do it."

"Yeah, you can do it Kagome I know you can." Shippo smiled as brightly as he could

Closing her eyes Kagome focused with all her might, but that glow, that constant sense of light she felt when the jewel she had aways felt was suddenly just...gone. how hadn't she noticed this before? it was like second nature to her to feel it but yet right in this moment she couldn't. "...I-I don't feel it at all" Kagome's lip trembled.

She could feel Inuyasha's body tense and all eyes were on her.

A/N:  
>Merry early Christmas Holliday, Sorry for the late update!  
>This chapter was probably the hardest, what with the transformation and technicalities of the process. Thanks for all the patient people I appreciate it and all the nice reviews, sorry for the mess up weeks ago 'that wont happen again' thats also why I haven't put out this chapter yet since I don't have a BETA I've been struggling to touch up my chapters including this one. It requires me to read it over and over to find those little mistakes that I keep missing and when I go over and read the first few chapters. But anyway thanks for being patient hope you enjoyed it!<p>

So I don't know if anyone had noticed yet but me being such a music fan I can't help but spoil my little secret within the titles of these chapters, muahahahaaaa! ...sorry, sorry I'm getting carried away. Well I'll tell you a little about my self first, I am a big indie music fan I love to play guitar, piano and sing. anyway, I'm awful at thinking of titles for my chapters, so I look through my Ipod for suitable names to match the chapters (chapter doesn't necessarily match the song though) so far there is:

After The Moment With You- by Craft Spells  
>#1: Limit To Your Love- by James Blake<br>#2: To Afraid To Love You- by The Black Keys  
>#3: Blood, The Sun and Water- by Born Ruffians<br>#4: You Are The Blood- by Sufjan Stevens  
>And a teaser for the name of Chapter 5: Stranger Things- by Local Natives *might change depends on how I end it but so far this is the name*<p>

That is all ^.^


	5. Stranger Things

**Chapter 5:**  
>-Stranger Things-<p>

_Kagome stood before the well. There was a darkness rolling in from the west making the wind pick up violently around her. She flinch and close her eyes as it whipped her hair around her face. She carefully tried to pull some bangs behind her ear as a habit but no human ears held her wild mane back, her dog ears twitched. The breeze made the trees groan and the leaves to be stripped of their foliage leaving them bare. Her hands shook as she clasped the splintering edge of the well, bugs of a foul kind crawled on her arms from the darkness making her scream and jump back in fear; yet she still felt compelled to stay close, or was it that she couldn't move any further? An ominous sound came from the depths giving her a rise of panic in her throat but she stepped closer again and leaned in cautiously peered down into the black abyss._

_"Mama?" She waited a moment "Grandpa, Souta?" she called down for a reason she could not explain._

_Of course no answer came._

_Putting her hands on the groaning wood once more she pulled herself over the edge and dove into the well expecting the warmth of the time shift to envelop her whole and take her home like it always has, but instead of seeing the light she fell, and fell._

_She screamed out in fear as her stomach presses against her diaphragm "INUYASHA!"_

_Kagome hit the bottom hard but did not feel pain. She struggled to sit up, her bones felt heavy and she looked around in the the bleak dark, nearly unable to see her own hands in front of her._

_Looking up at the square of light above her head she called out his name again "Inuyasha!"_

_Suddenly a deep chuckle caught her attention from behind._

_Spinning around she gasped as Naraku's head sinisterly hovered over her._

_"Hu hu hu," He laughed smoothly the shadowing of his face making him seem more sinister and dark. "Can't return to your world now, can you?"_

_"Naraku" Kagome hissed but found her body to be frozen in place._

_His tentacles slithered out from the stone walls and circled around her. "What's wrong Kagome, aren't you glad to see me?"_

_Kagome's face scrunched with the utter disgust she felt as he wrapped around her body "Don't touch me you vile piece of-!"_

_"You aren't in the right position to be calling me names now are you." He chuckled_

_A tentacle slithered up her leg and under her skirt._

_"What are you doing!" She yelped_

_"Your impurity is exquisite"_

_'_Impurity?'_ She squirmed and felt a gross un-comfort with Naraku's actions, his stare was so intense she forced herself to look away _'why is he looking at me like that?'

_This wasn't right, what he was doing wasn't right._

_"No please." She quivered as he let one wrap around her neck_

_"You'll never defeat me now that your powers are useless" He smirked bringing her body flush against his._

_She couldn't move, she could barely breathe, tears gathered in her eyes._

_"Inuyasha" She wheezed_

_"Once your dead I'll kill him next, but not before I fuck your lifeless corpse in front of him and tear you apart."_

_Her eyes widened and unwanted images flashed before her eyes that made the bile rise up in her throat, she squeezed her eyes shut and prayed to be saved, she suddenly self a tug on her shoulder and she screamed._

"KAGOME!" Inuyasha said louder, taking her shoulder and turning her onto her back

She screamed and awoke with a start thrashing at Naraku.

She instantly knew the scent and aura before her, stoping her frantic flailing looking up at with teary eyes she choked out a whimper and wrapped her arms around his neck.

He sat there stunned for a moment letting her hang off him and wrapped his arms around her "Shhh, Kagome it's ok, it's ok." Inuyasha cooed stroking her hair

She struggled to breathe and clutched onto his kimono soaking his garment with tears "I was so scared."

He held her tighter. "It's ok I'm here."

This was the fifth night in a row he had to wake Kagome from a nightmare, he somehow felt as though that they were his fault, that they were some weird punishment for him to watch her suffer because of the change.

She settled down and stayed quiet against him inhaling his sent that calmed her down.

She leaned away and he let her go "You ok?"

Kagome nodded and looked down at the jewel hanging off her neck, the jewel that she still couldn't feel or sense in a spiritual way, it took her a day to start to feel it's energy which gave her some small hope of regaining her powers back. Kagome knew he felt some guilt for her losing her abilities and Kagome tried not to show it but she had a lot of anxiety lately due to her not being able to sense the jewel shard. She would frantically search for it at times only to forget that it was hanging off her neck like a fool.

"Will you tell me whats bothering you?" He asked cautiously

A shiver ran down her spine, she could almost feel the linger of Naraku's touch on her so she just shook her head.

"Please Kagome."

She pulled away and placed her hands carefully on her lap she opened her mouth to spill her horrible nightmares but she couldn't bring herself to say anything about it without feeling last-night's dinner rise up. "Can we please drop it Inuyasha." she tried not to sound angry but added some desperation into it.

He didn't take. "No Kagome, every night since you're change' you've had these nightmares and everytime I ask you about it you brush me off."

"I'm not trying to brush you off Inuyasha I just don't wan't to talk about it, please" She pleaded tears gathering in her eyes.

He sighed and let his guard down "Fine wench"

"Can you just hold me please" She whispered trying to forget Naraku's words.

Kagome was deeply disturbed with herself, why would her mind make up something so revolting? Yes Naraku was vile and deserved a punishable death, but he had never once said something so vulgar towards her. Naraku hated her as much as he hated Kikio... no wait that was different. He hated what he felt for Kikio and killed her for it, but now that she was back he has been trying to kill her again, even tried to get rid of his human heart that still loved her, Onigumo's heart. Who knows where that was now. But why would she dream of somthing like that?

_**"You're impurity is exquisite" **_Kagome tried to shake his words away, _'It wasn't real.'_ she told herself.

The sun had not yet crept over the valley but you could see it fanning upwards reflecting off the mountains in the distance. Inuyasha had taken her into the forrest while she was asleep late in the night as she was stirring in the cold sweat of her nightmare and cradled her in his arms. This was something he had gotten used too doing taking her away from the Village and into fresh air. Plus it was always difficult to wake her and he didn't want to risk waking the others again especially Shippo who was terrified by Kagome's screams. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and noted the dark jewel turning back to glass in the blink of an eye and he brushed it off, thinking he was just seeing things.

They stayed like that until the sun made it's grand appearance and blanketed the valley with warm light, they walked back to the village quietly just as the village began to rouse for the morning, the farmers going to tend on their crops and babies waking up their mothers for a morning feed. It didn't take long for the whole village to be in full buzz, the couple made it to Sango and Miroku's hut just as Sango had finished making breakfast for everyone, that too was quiet enough. Miroku mentioned how the villagers were talking about another village near by in need of an exorcism, also hinting to Inuyasha that they were running low of rice barrels, Inuyasha said that he would think about it not seeing how Miroku could easily take Sango with him to do so. Kagome wondered what Miroku was up to. Shippo talked about how he was getting along with the village children fine and went on and on about a little girl named Suki, Kagome knew who she was she had tended to her mother when she gave birth to a baby boy nearly a year back now, Sango complained how she hadn't stretched her legs as much as she use to and was itching for a battle, much to Miroku's chagrin. Then Kaede entered the hut, Kagome loved that woman like a grandmother respected her and found her to be an endless book of knowledge, but lately Kagome was scared of what Kaede represented, a priestess. Kagome felt unsettled by the conversations she would bring up concerning Kagome's training.

_'What training?'_ Kagome thought dryly, it had all gone to waste anyway. Kaede put Kagome through many tests to see if there was even an inkling of her powers somewhere within her; with the jewel, with blessed objects, other old methods, with stones and leaves. All showed nothing.

But today, today was the question Kaede was going to ask that had Kagome shaking at the sight of her, she could almost hear he words before she spoke them.

"Today is the day ye will see if you're arrow of purification still functions" The elder said

The thought of it dampened Kagome's mood further, Why was Kaede so insistent on it? it was obvious how this would turn out, why? Just... why.

Kagome reluctantly agreed to it, and Kaede told her to meet at the usual spot where Kagome practiced, when the sun was a quarter way into the sky for Kaede had other businesses to attend to in the mean time. And she left.

They had about three hours to kill so the group soaked in the stream, Kagome laid in the sun and let Shippo play with her ears tickling them and making her laugh, a good laugh, something she hadn't done in days. The day was beautiful but Kagome couldn't help but feel miserable, she did well to hide it from the group trying to keep up the conversations with Sango though her mind would be else where. Inuyasha and Miroku talked quietly watching over the girls, probably taking about the things they were to weary about with the whole change and what problems it brought on, but every so often Inuyasha would hit Miroku, his face glowing red and avoiding eye contact with her, no doubt Miroku had said something perverted to him.

"So you and Inuyasha have been getting along well with the whole situation" Sango said running her fingers through her lose damp hair in the water up to her knees.

Kagome smiled as Sango seemed to be the only one who talked to her with full honesty about all that was happening and how odd it felt.

"Yes I'm adjusting a lot better than I thought I would." Kagome said in a hushed voice, Sango got the hint that Kagome didn't want Inuyasha to hear and waded in closer to where Kagome sat on a rock soaking her heels in the crisp water.

"How do you think he's handling it?" She asked gesturing to the boys behind her discreetly.

"Still feel's guilty no matter what I say to him" Kagome sighed

Sango smiled sympathetically "He'll get over it. You seem to be a little down yourself, are you not happy with Inuyasha?"

"Oh no, it's not that at all... well not really. He is being a bit.. much" Kagome's voice goes even lower ensuring that Inuyasha couldn't hear.

Inuyasha was at her heels every step of the way since they left the travellers hut two weeks ago, nearly breathing down her neck, and that wasn't an exaggeration. If he wasn't so keen on knowing her movements before she did anything, if were to stopped abruptly midwalk he would all but crash into her which she had tried to attempt to do several times to make a point. Damn him being so intuitive.

"Yes, I've noticed he is being a bit more overbearing that usual, but that kind of how he always is." Sango laughs but then turns somber for a moment "He's just worried for you you know, thats a given by what he's been though growing up. He unintentionally threw you into his life, into his world and unfortunately for the both of you it's not very pretty."

Sango's experience as a Demon slayer made her seem so wise, Kagome felt inferior to Sango sometimes.

"I know, I told him that I didn't care about that either." Kagome dips her fingers into the water liking the cold prickle it caused her to feel. She smiled sadly "I've been thinking a lot about Inuyasha's mother, how maybe that's how he see's me now, a vulnerable child naive of the harshness and cruelty of the world." She pauses and both girls look over to the boys. Inuyasha nearly strangling Miroku, Shippo off to the side just shaking his head.

Kilala made a low hiss of disapproval.

Sango rolls her eyes and mutters "Idiots" then looks back at Kagome "Sorry, go on."

"No, that's all really. As annoying as he an be I can see his reasoning for it, I just wish he saw me as someone stronger... I guess now that my powers are gone that'll be a lot harder to achieve." She said miserably "I can't be mad at him for that now can I, for worrying? and it's only natural for him to be defensive for me, besides I love him." Kagome smiled feeling her fog of doubtful thoughts lift for an instant not realizing the glow of the jewel brightening but could be mistaken for the glare of the bottle from the sun.

Sango beamed at her friend not having her say those words out loud so freely before, "Hows the mark?"

Kagome is taken back by the sudden question _'Mark? What Mark?'_ but a sting on her shoulder reminds her _'Oh that mark'_

"Uhh..." Kagome blushed uncontrollably Knowing where this conversation would end up but Kagome wouldn't try to strangle Sango like Inuyasha did to Miroku.

"Fine?" she said meekly

"How does it feel to be bound to someone? I was often curious as a little girl how mating bonds worked, how they connected the souls. So romantic." Sango swayed

"It's... Nice?" Kagome fumbled

"Nice. Kagome?" Sango said giving her a look

"Theres not much of a difference, We are kind of in tuned with each others emotions and... reactions? Sorry that doesn't make much sense... it's hard to explain." Kagome scratched her head. "I'm not really used to what I'm sensing so sometimes I don't realize what it is I'm feeling until later."

"You'll get used to it" Sango encouraged

The slayer leaned on a rock and tried to peer at the mark inconspicuously. She could only see an edge of it under the collar of Kagome's shirt. Kagome had put extra clothes in Sango's home (home meant for the entire group but Sango nested it) just incase. A plain white v-neck shirt and brown shorts that here apparently 'too short' for Inuyasha's liking but they were only meant for her to wear while sleeping and that idiot broke her bra so she resorted to wearing a thin strip of cloth wrapped around her chest to at least hold them down. Kagome was just glad she had some comfortable clothes to wear.

"It's fading pretty quick, like Myoga said that it would." Kagome said feeling the mark.

Sango nodded knowingly "Yes, he mentioned that since Inuyasha's half demon he would need to mark you a few times for the mark to be permanent as opposed to a full demon only needing to do it once."

Kagome couldn't control the blood rushing to her face as Sango brought up the full demon thing. The slayer had told her before along time ago when Kagome was younger and curious about Inuyasha's lineage, learning that demons generally only marked their mates during sex. It was not the norm to be marked without having engaged said act because it was an acquired instinct simply passed on from the more primitive ages where demons where more animalistic than the superiors beings they were today; and only mated for the sake of reproducing in the masses. Kagome was a unique case, Inuyasha's demon acknowledged her with out them having to do 'that' and marked her willingly, marking was formed from the instinct to hold the female down just as the male releases into her to ensure they inseminate the female or 'hitting the mark' so to speak. How the usually modest Sango could talk freely about such things was beyond Kagome, when it came to her and Miroku Kagome didn't even know if they had shared a kiss yet. Kagome and Inuyasha had only shared a hand full of secret kisses here and there since the change.

"You going to do it again soon?"

Sango's question caught Kagome off guard and she slipped into the water, catching herself to not fall over but submerged in the cold water up to her knees making a squeal of shock escape her throat as the water jolted her. Sango probably didn't notice the sexual underlining of her words.

"S-SANGO!" Kagome yellped then realized she had caught the boy's attention, no way could she look Inuyasha in the eye right now.

"What? The mark is fading, I was just asking if you were going to let him remark you is all?"

_'Do you not see what you're implying!_' is what Kagome wanted to yell but that would just draw more unwanted attention, and it was too late Inuyasha was up and walking over.

"We-we haven't talked about it" she whispered under her breath "We'll talk about this later."

Sango seemed pleased with how flustered she made her friend... Miroku was a bad influence.

"You guys done flopping around in there like fish? Kagome's gotta go see Kaede now."

_'Oh yeah I almost forgot!'_ Kagome felt weird at how he said that, it was as if he were telling Sango, Kagome couldn't play anymore because she had a doctors appointment... what was with that? She repressed herself from hearing her mothers voice in his.

"Oh ok, we should get going then" Kagome said quickly

He held out his hand to her and she took it letting him hoister her out of the water.

The stone in her heart re-emerged as she realized she was going to go try to shoot an arrow that would have no good outcome. Swallowing her fear she gathered her shoes but didn't bother to put them on.

"Let's go" she winced through a smile

"Can I come Kagome?" Shippo asked

"Ye-"

"No" Inuyasha cut in.

Kagome shot him a glare "Yes he can"

"The runt is just gunna distract you" He said glaring at the fox boy.

"I won't! I'll be really quiet! I swear, pleeeeeeeeease!" Shippo pleaded

"No" Inuyasha barked and thumped the boys head

"Waaaaaaah!" Shippo wailed

Kagome clenched "Inuyasha"

He knew that tone and his body went stiff but it was too late to cool her down.

"Sit"

*BAM!*

End of discussion.

***Later that evening***

The muscles in her triceps and forearms ached with a burn but she pushed herself more knowing she could hold out a little longer. She took a deep breath ignoring the drops of sweat dripping down her brow stinging her eyes forcing her to squint more as she was doing so to adjust the distance of her vision and ultimately her target, a tree which was about 100 meters away. She willed herself to fabricate the feeling of pure energy flowing through her body to try and calm her tensions. She poised herself rigid notching the arrow in the bow string pointing towards the ground without even looking. Her muscles in her hands twitched as she readjusted her grip on the neck and her raw fingers of the other hand pinched the end of the arrow, her effort made her fingers white. She held slow steady breaths as she lifted the bow pulling back the arrow as far back as she could. This was he last arrow.

'Hit the mark' is the only thing that runs trough her as if it were some secret spell that would return her powers.

Kagome's arm starts to shake and the exertion made her hands sweat but she didn't feel ready to let go, she didn't feel anything. The arrows scattered around her area remind her of her previous failures... what would make this shot so different?

"Hit the mark!" She yelled desperately and fires the last of her arrows.

Kagome hears it whizzing to it's destination and her ears ring as it made the distinct *Clink* as the arrow lodges in the bark of the far tree she had been targeting for a while. She throws down her instrument with a crackling rage and she screamed out in frustration. It had been hours! hours in the blistering sun of countless arrows and nothing. No trailing light of pure energy, no glow, no spark, no purification of any kind.

_'I will not cry, I will not cry!'_ she thought through the sting of tears.

"I thought you had it that time Kagome" Shippo's small voice cuts into her rampage she has now taken onto the earth by kicking up clumps of grass.

Kagome tried to allow Shippo's sensitivity to sink in but she was to annoyed and tired with herself, but she knew she wasn't mad at him and nor would it be fair to take his anger out on him either, no matter how moody she was. He only ever meant the best, his presence comforted her even if he was their to watch over her for Inuyasha while he scoped the area for any threats which slightly annoyed her more, but the young boy wanted to be here despite Inuyasha's order. Kaede had watched her for the first few tries but said as delicately as she could that she needed to get some things done and that Kagome should keep practicing, but to Kagome Kaede might as well be have been saying "I don't have time to watch you shoot arrows."

Kagome flopped onto the ground in defeat. "I'm sorry you had to see that Shippo, I'm not myself today"

"That's an understatement" he chuckled laying on his stomach to stare at her with his head propped by an arm, his tail waving. "I could rub you're ears for if you like" Shippo tried to say casually

Kagome flicked her ears liking that idea but she looked towards him with a smirk "Now who would that be more for, me or you?"

"W-what are you talking about? y-you! of corse..." He blushed

She giggled and rolled onto her stomach shifting her head in front of him, the young boy beamed with delight and sat up latching onto her plush ears.

She smiled but sighed miserably "I don't know what to do... I knew this was a bad idea to do this."

"Kaede is worried about you. I hear her and Sango talking about it a lot."

"Everyone seems to be" Kagome scoffed "... sorry I didn't mean it to sound so rude."

'_God what's wrong with me?_' she thought still feeling sour.

"I'm not worried" Shippo perked, probably saying that to make her happy.

She forces a smile back to him. She truly did feel happy when she was around Shippo she loved the young boy but lately something was bothering her... she just couldn't put her finger on it "Hey, Let's go back and see if Sango made dinner?" she said.

"Shouldn't we wait for Inuyasha to get back?" Shippo said nervously

"Oh, he'll sniff us out and figure were on our way back." She waved off sitting up.

"But he said for us to stay here until he got back" Shippo pleaded not wanting to get on the half demons bad side.

'_Grrr that Inuyasha'_

"I don't care" She humphed standing and marching off leaving her bow behind, Shippo picked it up and ran after her.

"Kagome! please wait!"

"Stupid Inuyasha trying to use Shippo against me to make me stay and wait for him like a lap dog." She hissed under her breath, she wasn't anyones lap dog, no sir!

"Kagome wait!"

She stomped through the forrest path going back towards the village kicking up the dirt in her way. Something suddenly caught her nose and she stopped.

Shippo flew into the back of her knees an taking her down fast.

"Ouch!" She winced sitting up, her back cracking uncomfortably.

"Sorry Kagome" Shippo said disoriented as he was being crushed under her legs.

"It's ok" she said picking him up and proping him back onto his feet "You didn't mean to"

A sound caught her attention, something rattled the trees, to the left, no on the right! The scent of blood hit her nose, and something fish like. An animal or something was approaching, her senses told her so. Scrambling to her feet her heart began to race.

"Something's coming" Shippo quivered

And then there it was, something dark coming out of the brush of the forrest not even 10 yards away, it looked like an over grown lizard walking on it's hind legs, it's teeth dripping with blood and her stomach dropped as she saw it held a severed head of a woman by her long black hair in it's razor sharp claws. Shippo eeped in fear. It looked at her and she froze, it turned to them licking it's lip it laughed at it's grand find. It was obviously male from the deep scratchy voice it had when it spoke to them in a ominous way, "I thought I smelled a Woman demon in these parts and my what a scrumptious one you are."

Kagome cringed with disgust feeling maybe her shorts were too revealing at the moment.

Shippo put himself between her and the demon "Run Kagome! I'll fight him off!"

The demon laughed hysterically at the fox child "You'll be the snack before the main course little rodent!"

Shippo's eye twitched "R-rodent?"

Kagome automatically scooped Shippo up and ran for their lives forgetting the bow, _'Crap, crap crap carp!_' her mind screamed as she could hear he much faster lizard demon hot on their trail and she was without her arrows! Sure she couldn't purify it but she could kill it with a clear shot to the head. She found her legs to be quicker than usual, not testing her agility though it was something that had crossed her mind, her change had made her noticeably quicker but the speed almost scared her making her over analyse her steps leaving her scrambling with rubber feet. She suddenly tripped on a tree root sending Shippo into the air and into the bushes, while her face was in the dirt. She didn't have enough time to get up before she felt the foot slam into herback and pin her down. The demon smelled horrible and she struggled to turn over, she screamed as it's tongue slithered and licked the side of her face and left a trail of saliva on it's path.

"Mmmm you taste sweet" It said practically salivating all over her.

"Get off me!" She yelled wishing she could just blast him away with her powers. Her old powers.

The demon examined her carefully "Guh! what a shame you're one of those halfbreed vermin, not even worth a lay."

Feeling the pang of the insult on her person she reared her body angerly to try and trip him off but his weight was too heavy.

He began to laugh menacingly "Shame such a beauty is wasted on you. You should have just stayed in you're hole halfbreed mutt!"

The demon rose it's claws and pressed her further into he ground "I'll enjoy eating out your eyes- Oh and look you have a gift for me?"

She gasped and realized the jewel hanging off it's chain on the ground beside her head still attached to her neck.

"I knew I sensed a sacred jewel shard on you, how did a weak halfbreed like you get something like that?" It growled crushing her chest with it's weight making her cough for breath.

She managed a gulp of air and yelled at the top of her compressed lungs "INUYASHA!"

The demon rose it's claws to strike.

Kagome sensed him coming in an instant his name left her lips and just as quick as she sensed him she felt the foot on her back be ripped away. She could hear straggled cries from the demon, slicing and a blood curling scream of death. She was in too much shock to look.

She gasped when a foot suddenly pushed at her shoulder and flipped her stiff body over.

Kagome looked up at his golden eyes glinting in the light, but they were surrounded with a fire of rage that emanated off him and his whole body, with his bloodied sword in hand it was the first time she felt a sliver of fear towards him.

He took a breath and you could feel the rage in his almost shaking voice that was rough and unforgiving "JUST WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!"

She flinched at his powerful voice and rising aura "I-I-"

His breathing was hard and his chest expanded "If I wasn't here on time- You were supposed to- I can't believe you're so fucking-!" his face was going red.

Wow, he was so mad he was trying to yell three things to her at once, but he was too mad to get through just one of them.

"Get up" He said harshly

She complied not even dusting herself off because he didn't tell her to do so, her demon inside quivered at his dominance over her.

"Where is that little shit" He barked not at Kagome but at himself sniffing around. He stepped into the brushes and pulled a dazed Shippo out of the leaves, sporting a pretty decent lump on his head.

"I told you to make sure she stays put, I told you that for a reason runt!" He yelled furiously rousing the boy from his groans of pain

"I'm sorry Inuyasha!" Shippo wailed

"It's not Shippo's fault Inuyasha!" Kagome cried her own anger rising at his rashness "I wouldn't listen, I just wanted to get away from the range."

Inuyasha knew his anger was misdirected towards Shippo but he couldn't help his distress. He had smelled the vermin coming for sometime and when the scent of human blood hit his nose he had to get rid of the pests that were threatening his territory and his mate. Circling around he took out a couple of lizard demons who had already gotten to a mother and child who had strayed from the forests less denser paths and into the bush to collect twigs for fire. When he found the demons they were in the midst of devouring the torn remains of the child and the mother was long gone too, he took them out with litte struggle though they proved to be very quick. They weren't smart but the fastest one managed to get away so Inuyasha chased him down but lost track of him since the vermin's scent was all over the area now. That's when he heard her screams that made his blood boil.

**_'**M**ates in danger!'_ **his demon raged

He was lucky he got there in time, but why had she left the medow? He told her he would be back! What was done was done and now all he had to do was calm his raging demon within him, it tore around him demanding she be punished for not obeying him but he held his tongue not able to yell at her coherently because of the other voice that wanted to escape. Dropping Shippo he growled "Let's go"

He came up to her and she held her breath waiting for him to snap at her again but instead a low growl rumbled deep within his chest and she felt as though she had been strangled by the heart, the animal in her seemed to understand exactly what his growl meant and it rocked her demon into a submissive fear.

Inuyasha didn't speak to her for the rest of the day but he stayed a foot away from her every she went like how it had been for days but it was worse because he was so mad at her and not talking. She couldn't look him in the eye.

At night her nightmares plagued her and offered a restless sleep and she awoke in the middle of the night silently with the moon still hanging in the sky. She was slightly startled to wake up in a place other than the forrest with Inuyasha like how it had been for the last few days but she was still wrapped in her clammy sleeping bag, alone.

Tears threatened to emerge. Was Inuyasha really so mad that he would leave her to her nightmares? He had every right to be, she was carless yesterday. Kagome now understood that she depended on Inuyasha too much for protection, so much so that he didn't think she could be alone... and he had been right. Kagome watched the moon from the small window until dawn creeped over the horizon and she finally she dared to turn over to look at Inuyasha, had he been watching her the whole time? Why didn't he say anything? She was surprised to find him leaning into the wall heavily with his head slightly slumped over, the darkness of the room shadowed his eyes. Was he asleep? She crawled over to him and smiled sadly at his peaceful face, yes he was asleep. Poor guy worked himself into exhaustion after yesterdays close call. Her stomach turned from the guilt, she didn't mean to upset him she just wanted to go somewhere without needing his permission or guidance for once.

She leaned in and lightly kissed him on the lips gently, _'I'm sorry'_ His hand suddenly grasped the back of her head and he pressed her into him more heatedly.

When they pulled away they were nearly out of air and struggled to keep the volume of their breaths light as to not wake anyone in the room. She looked longingly into his half asleep expression and small grin.

_'Apology accepted_'

She snuggled into him taking her place against his body, resting her head against his chest to listen to his heartbeat and with that she fell into a much needed dreamless sleep.

***At the misty mountains in the south***

They glided through the tick mist dodging around grand jagged rocks in their way.

Kagura sighed in annoyance "Weve been flying for hours, are we there yet"

"Your patients level needs to be adjusted Kagura" Naraku said

_**"Naraku" **_A hushed whisper echoed from the cave below them.

"There" Naraku said and they descended

"Well that was creepy" Kagura shivered holding out her fan to her side as a habit for when she felt threatened,

"Wait for me here" Naraku said smoothly approaching the entrance

Kagura frowned "What? You make me come all this way to wait for you out side this damned place?" she hissed

He simply smirked and in his force field he hovered through the entrance.

Kagura huffed and leaned against a boulder just out side the cave, and shivered "The nerve of him, making me wait out here in the cold like a dog," The cave groaned making her flinch "This place gives me the creeps." She glared at the caves darkness "Just what are you up to Naraku? What business do you have in a place like this?"

Naraku glided in the darkness enveloping him whole the drips of the cave were the only sounds he could hear, the dim rosy glow of his force field illuminated his path in a sinister way, making the condensation of the walls look as though they were bleeding and then the whispers began.

**"*Be gone from our dwelling Half Breed"** A deep voice growled from the deep darkness (*future)

**"Half breed filth" **One hissed sounding more elderly (past)

_**"You dare come to us Naraku?" **_another said in a feminine hush (present)

"So you knew I was coming, that doesn't surprise me" Naraku smirked "I've come to ask for your services"

As he drifted in closer 3 pairs of red eyes opened in the dark, a grand shadow moved slowly towards Naraku. As it approached flamed torches illuminated the cave to show a rather large holding area carved into the mountain core. Standing before Naraku with the miasma thickening with it's slow movements mustered out of crevasses in the holes covered by a massive three headed dog demon with cole black fir. Shibatsu-ono of foresight is what this demon was known as, legend has that each head held a different knowledge of either the past, present or future and that many men have traveled to Shibatsu to know their future because once the future is told there was a power to change their own fate. Shibatsu only took worthy offers from great lords, powerful demons or when something of great personal value was presented from an individual; like the offering of human sacrifices, souls, limbs, and things of that nature. But the foolish who come bearing gifts of the richest kind often met a gruesome fate, as could be seen scattering the cave floors. Human bones and demon bones alike.

**"*We know why you're here" **They all spoke

**"Your destiny was already asked of not to long ago**" the past sopke

Naraku's brow rose "My destiny? And whom was it who asked for my destiny?"

**"****A priestess!"** the past seethed **"The north winds brought her!"**

_**"Asking for your path" **_the present whispered

He listened curiously '_Kikio'_ he thought

**"She offered her soul for answers, and she gave us a false"** the dog of the past growled bearing it's rotting fangs

_**"*She is cursed!"**_ they all chimed

**"No longer living, no longer dead"**

"Yes she is the priestess Kikio, but I'm sure you knew that already. How is it that you did not foresee her trickery great Shibatsu?" Naraku said

_**"Beings of the undead have no name or face to our foretelling."**_ The present said

**"*She has a strong powerful force, I allowed it knowing she'd give us a fake"**

**"She was worthy of our services"** the past said

"And what exactly did she ask of my destiny, my patients with your banter is wearing thin"

The male head laughed menacingly **"*You don't have power here halfbreed"**

_**"That is not a question we can answer, without a price. what can a halfbreed like you offer."**_

"Of course" Naraku smirked and held out his palm. The blackened and bloodied heart seeped from his palm and glowed with a sinister hue.

**"You offer your own heart?"**

"My human heart" Naraku said simply "I have no use for it's attachments"

The great dogs seemed to ponder for a moment _**"Very well then present it."**_

Naraku threw his heart _'Two birds one stone'_ he thought with a smirk.

The head of the present snatched it out of the air and gobbled it down licking it's lips in satisfaction. _**"My, how broken hearts filled with malice taste so... sweet."**_

"**You loved that priestess" **The past said mockingly

Naraku frowned "I have no interest in your opinion on my human heart, what I want to know is my demise."

Without question the future head spoke swiftly anticipating the question. "***You will meet your end by the hand of a half demon of pure light and dark power on the night of the blood moon. Where two souls will be born into a field of blood and power"**

"Inuyasha"

**"*No not by a male, you cannot be killed by the hand of a sword with the possession of the jewel of four souls. Though two brother swords will aid in it."**

Naraku frowned "But Inuyasha only posesses the Tetsuiga and Seshomaru his Tensuaiga, that sword is useless for this world, are you telling me those fools kill me with their own clawed hands, I would never allow them to have that satisfaction."

**_"Inuyasha? No not him. No a female, a priestess who's powers are dormant from demonic energy as of now_"** Present spoke now

_**"*One whom is of this life and another" **_Both heads of the present and future spoke

"Kagome",_**"Kagome" **_The Present and Naraku said at the same time

Naraku frowned _'Demonic energy?_'

"And how does she do this?" Naraku inquired

The dogs stirred for a moment growling and snarling at eachother then finally calmed.

**"*She is not attached to time in this world, we cannot tell you her future."**

Naraku glared at the 3 headed dog demon "Very well then, tell me what has happened to her powers."

The past grinned **"The halfbreed, Inuyasha. He has shared his blood with her and marked her."**

Naraku was surprised now. "They are mated now?"

**"No, they have not completed the true mating ritual." **

"And her powers?"

_**"Dormant, but building."**_

"What of her jewel shard? Does she still have the ability to purify it?"

**"*Until she has learned to unlock her powers she will be easily swayed by the dark energy of the jewel and further taint it. "**

Naraku smiled at that "How fortunate for me... but you spoke of two souls being born, what does that mean?"

The Future spoke knowingly **"*The priestess will birth two, one of light one of darkness on the night of the blood moon where the final act will determine whether you and she shall live or die together."**

_'Live or die... Together?'_

***Back With Kagome***

"On your mark. Get set. GO!" Shippo announced

They took off running kicking the grass behind them, Inuyasha flawlessly guided himself in the air his feet swift and firm, unlike Kagome who was used to her track and field stance but not her new legs making her frantically attempt to match her arm movements to her much quicker feet making her look like stiff runner.

"Stop worrying about your hands woman!" Inuyasha said running only a few steps ahead of her. He was holding back a little for her

"I'm trying!" She hollered trying to set a decent arm swing that wouldn't look as ridiculous.

"Lean your torso forward more, bring your knees closer to you're stomach" He said bringing down his pace to run beside her.

She did as she was told and found it to be a bit easier but her speed was increasing and her legs did not feel like her own, it was like running down a hill and unable to stop knowing she could fall any moment.

"How do I stop!" She panicked

Yes, as ridiculous as it sounded she was afraid at stopping to abruptly at such an inhumane pace. Her logic was that if there was a trick to it or steps that she would be able to stop safely rather than eat dirt, but since Inuyasha wasn't telling her she figured to keep running would be the only way from not hurting herself.

"Your kidding right?" He laughed

"No!" she yelled realizing they were approaching the end of the field and were headed straight for the forrest... She didn't have to admit her logic was sound. "I'm serious Inuyasha!"

He just laughed at her "Straighten your back and slow your legs down you idiot."

Kagome tried to do what she was told but slowed down too quickly, the ground under her slipping, she tumbled forward taking Inuyasha down with her and they rolled into the bushes. Landing on the ground in a big heap Inuyasha unintentionally pinned her body down with his.

Kagomes head spun, "Ugg I think I'm going to be sick" she coughed as the weight of him pressed her chest uncomfortably.

"Not on me wench" Inuyasha groaned struggling to pull his upper body up and off of her, but he stopped short and sucked in his breath looking down at her.

The fall had dislodged Kagomes elastic from her hair leaving it disheveled and fanned out underneath her, her hands had landed above her head which caused her shirt to rise and expose her stomach but her position made her cleavage very prominent in her V-neck shirt and the too short shorts were still too short.

The way they landed didn't help his current growing situation in which his pelvic bone was crushed against hers, her leg was also caught in a bush behind them propping it up with his side and making her leg drape over his back which held him close against her and the heel of her shoe digging into his right kidney.

"Ouch" She cringed wiggling a bit to get what ever rock or twig was stabbing her back away, and dislodged the Tetsuaiga from her probably bruised rib. Inuyasha made a strange croak because she didn't even realize exactly what she was wiggling against 'what'. With her movement his right hand suddenly slipped on the leaves and roots on the ground bringing his face came a mere inch away from hers. He looked like he was in a kind of pain, Kagome looked up at him worried "You ok Inuyasha?" her head had finally stopped spinning and she then began to realize just how close they were. There eyes locked an they went beet red.

_'What is that?_' she suddenly thought feeling something stiff against her, but forgot about it as he glanced at her lips and looked back at her eyes.

He began to lean in, she could feel his heart pace with hers beating loudly in their silence but she winced at a pain at the side of her head.

"Inu..." she said reluctantly just as his lips grazed hers "Y-you're on my hair..."

Gasping he pushed himself away quickly turning his body away from her and unable to look her in the eye, his face was so red he practically blended in with his kimono. "S-sorry" he grumbled.

Sitting up she fixed herself quickly, crossing, pulling down her shirt and shaking out the leaves from her hair.

"Guess I need more practice" She said awkwardly

He sniffed a laugh "You shouldn't wear those shoes of your's they trip up your feet, you don't get a good feel of the ground with them." he mumbled still turned away

"You guys ok? you fell pretty hard." Shippo said sticking his head out of a bush startling Inuyasha

"Don't do that!" He barked

"Were fine Shippo" Kagome said

Shippo looked curiously at how odd Inuyasha was acting, "Why are you so red Inuyasha?"

The halfdemon perked and glanced over to Kagome quickly who blushed back "I am not!"

"You smell funny"

_'Smell?'_ Kagome thought not realizing the change in his scent till now, it smelled more heavy and musky. She wondered why.

"Shut it" Inuyasha growled

"Did something happen between you two like Sango and Miroku... grownup stuff?"

"Shippo!" Kagome blushed

"Wait, what grownup stuff have THEY been doing?" Inuyasha asked suspiciously

"Don't ask him that Inuyasha!" Kagome scolded

"So I'm right you did do something." Shippo smirked

Inuyasha raised his fist and swung at the fox kit but for some odd reason he didn't move from his spot, so Shippo scurried into Kagome's lap sticking his tongue out at him making the half demon growl louder.

"Nothing happened Shippo" Kagome said firmly

Shippo nodded and gave her an apologetic look "Sorry Kaomge..."

"Suck up" Inuyasha said under his breath

"So you guys going to try running again?" Shippo asked Kagome while glaring at Inuyasha and sticking his tongue out after.

"umm-"

"No, were done for the day." Inuyasha said quickly

Kagome frowned "But I'm not tired, and it's still early I could go for a bit more practice." she said standing up with Shippo in arms

"Uh, I smell a demon coming close, you and Shippo just go back to the village without me. Go have you're woman chatter with Sango until I get back." He pressed not standing.

Kagome frowned at his strange behaviour but didn't want to question him on there being a demon nearby because his senses were far better then hers. But still, he was acting very oddly towards her... why did she feel as though she knew why? She was however extremely surprised that he was allowing her to venture back without his presence, but then it suddenly dawned on her that she would have time alone if she could get away and come back without him knowing.

"Umm ok, We'll see you later then? Be careful." She smiled walking away quickly

Inuyasha could hear them leaving Shippo making a comment on how Kagome shouldn't run back that made her laugh. He sighed to himself and relaxed his body when he knew she was a fair distance away and then looked down at his very prominent and very big problem he was concealing from the others before they left.

He groaned mournfully. "Fuck" once again he's have to take care of himself.

_**'Such a hard thing it is, having a mate and not being able to mate with her. is it not?' **_His demon quipped in annoyance

He didn't agree or disagree with it but grumbled curses to himself as he stood and went to go find the nearest spring.

*** At Sango's***

"Oh you guys are back early" Sango said, the slayer was in front of her hut polishing the haraikots with Kilala watching her patiently.

"Inuyasha called off the training, he said there was a demon near by but I didn't sence anything"

"Neither did I" Shippo pouted "He sure did smell funny, he's smelt like that before. He usually goes and washes himself in the nearest spring at night when he does. While everyone is sleeping."

"Inuyasha never bathes." Kagome frowned

"hmmm, that's awfully strange of him to leave you alone like that" Sango said

"I know it came as a supise to me too" Kagome laughed, she let Shippo down "Shippo how about you go play with the village kids for a while? So me and Sango can talk. You can go see what Suki is doing."

"Ok!" Shippo exclaimed and bounced away happily.

Kagome sniffed around, and turned her ears forward and back to focus her hearing and making sure there was no sign of Inuyasha close by.

Sango stopped poslishing, "What's up?"

"Umm Sango can I ask for a favour?" Kagome whispered

"Of course, what is it Kagome?"

"This is pretty much the first time Inuyasha has left my side, I was just hoping I could go off for a walk before he got back just to clear my head for a bit."

"Needing some time alone?" Sango asked with a light smile

"Yes" Kagome said desperately

"Of course" Sango chuckled "but what if Inuyasha comes back and asks where you are?"

"Can you kind of send him on a bit of a goose chase? say I went to the bathroom or I went with Kaede on an errand or something, anything! Hopefully I'll have thought of a good excuse of why I was gone by then, or maybe come back before he does... but then again he could just sniff me out in a matter of minutes" Her shoulders slouched "Maybe- never mind, it's hopeless to get a moments peace."

Sango waved her away "Go go, based on what Shippo said I'm sure he'll take his time taking care of himself before he comes back, as long as he believes you're here with us." she smirked

Kagome paused "Take care of himself? what do you mean?"

Sango smiled at her naive friend "Don't worry about it Kagome you'll figure out what it means soon enough, just listen to you're nose."

Kagome pursed her lips, Sango was confusing her, and at the same time why did she feel slightly uncomfortable with this?

"Just go Kagome" Sango chuckled

"Oh ok? bye, and thanks!" she said dashing off

...

Kagome feathered her hands over the soft grass beneath her, she smiled behind her closed eyes relishing in the feeling of the cool afternoon breeze picking up around her. Her ears twitched as the wind made the trees sing and carried different aromas to her nose letting her fully take in her surroundings with body and mind. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this tranquil by the sounds of the forrest, the moans and groans of the dark wood, the stream trickling near by, and the twitter of birds all seemed to put her in a state of meditation. Despite the events of yesterday she felt a strange connection to the forrest after her change, she no longer felt fear towards the unknown darkness, though Kagome knew it was a dangerous place she saw it as an opportunity to explore and find her way in her new world. She also found the village to be too noisy and filled with unpleasant smells of pungent foods and not to mention the natural odours that humans have, who otherwise have no way of using adequate source of soaps or proper toiletries in this time. A nice waft of bowel movement sometimes awoke Kagome up in the mornings.

_'I wonder how long I've been here now?_' She thought mildly too content to fully care '_Oh well, too late now to go back.'_

Another gentle breeze caressed her and brought an aura that she felt approaching for a short time now, her senses heightened as she heard the padding of rapid feet he hair behind her neck instinctively rose telling her to be aware of who was coming.

Her ears twitched and her nose perked.

Kagome tilted her head to her side slightly and opened her eyes to look at him in close proximity as he sat squatting beside her at eye level with an angry pout on his face and arms firmly crossed to emphasize his displeasure.

She smiled apologetically and pulled out a very halfhearted "Sorry?"

"Is that all you have to say for yourself?" He bit

"Ummm..."

_'Wait for it_' She thought grimly

"What the hell were you thinking running off without telling me woman!"

'_There it is._'

"Inuyasha-"

"And making Sango cover for you! that's low even for you wench!"

"Inuyasha-"

"What if a demon found you like yesterday?"

"Yesterday was an accident I was distracted, today I would sense it before it got too close." She stated hesitantly knowing what she said would ultimately anger him more despite the truth of it.

He paused a moment looking up at her black dog ears. "That's besides the point Kagome!" He snapped "You are completely exposed out here and have no way to defend yourself!"

Kagome rolled her eyes as he stared in on how she didn't have her bow and arrows on her... she didn't even want to comment on that, Kagome had had enough of bows and arrows for a life time. In her own stubborn way she knew he was right, but to be honest she had left the village without so much as a note to get away from... well, him. Even though he left her side yesterday because of thoes demons she didn't have much time to relax because of her focus on the archery. Inuyasha was attached to her hip since the moment they had come out of the hut that one morning that would change their lives forever, he was so caring and protective over her. Yes, Inuyasha helped her understand her new abilities, like how to sort and identify smells, to distinguish certain sounds and match them to something that she wouldn't have otherwise know as a human. They had bonded through that getting a little closer which had been nice at first, fantastic even! Kagome was thrilled that they were considered to be together or 'mated' (how Inuyasha would put it always with a flustered blush) and once again she thought for a moment that everything was falling into place despite how backwards things were. But it didn't last long and Kagome was at her limit, she found Inuyasha's irrational over protectiveness to be extremely irritating not that it was much different than before but it was intensified, sure she thought it was sweet, sweet but irritating. It was only to be expected that the village was rather shocked at Kagome's obvious change, but Kagome found that the village was more concerned for her wellbeing then judgemental about it all. Of course there were some whispers here and there, people talking in a hush about how her and Inuyasha had sinned by engaging in 'sexual relations' and Kami had punished her for it, some questioning her purity and Kagome heard it all; she couldn't help but hear it, what with her new heightened senses and all. Sure it hurt a little but Kaede did well to hush the silly rumours and cleared the air for Kagome which she appreciated, but Inuyasha on the other hand... If someone in the village so looked at her funny he snapped. He already picked a fight with a couple humans and began to cause a little stir within the village, everyone became afraid to cross him or Kagome and that frustrated her.

She breathed in the air again to calm her nerves that seemed to come with Inuyasha in the last few days and fell back into the plush grass that was warm with heat stretching to crack her back and roll the kink out of her neck. She opened an eye to notice Inuyasha watching her arch her body with a flush, but he looked away quickly and she sighed. "I can defend myself just fine Inuyasha, I'm practically half demon. Look at you, you manage just fine."

_'That's a lie, I know I'm helpless without him' _she though sadly but was determined to get her independence back

"You're barely considered half demon." He growled looking towards the forrest.

It was true, she wasn't fully half demon but almost there, she had the heightened senses; hearing, sight, smell and such. She was stronger than before always taking a stroll around the village for no particular reason but to stretch her legs, she had only first tested her legs today and she could obiouvly run fast like Inuyasha, maybe not as well but it was a start. She hadn't even tried to see if she could do a super high jumps like he could but she wasn't thrilled on heights anyway. Her now deadly claws were filed down to look normal because she couldn't see herself really needing to use her claws on anything but scratching her own back, but besides all of the comparison to Inuyasha's strengths and her lack there of in coordination with her new strengths, she was obviously not quite human anymore.

"I'm plenty" She countered her ears flickering at the sound of a buzzing insect swooping by.

"Keh, technically"

"I'm fairing just fine" Kagome pouted

"You have no idea how hard it is to live as a half demon."

She closed her eyes and tried to calm her growing frustration "I know Inuyasha, you remind me of that almost everyday" she said sadly

Kagome knew she couldn't understand the hardships Inuyasha has been though in his life and she understood why he was so protective of her, it was because he was more scared then he would ever admit that she would be treated poorly for what she was now, that she would be an easier target for any demon and she shuttered at the thought of Naraku finding out about her powers disappearing.

_'Won't he be so pleased'_ She thought

"Wench, quit being stubborn. I told you before I don't want you to leave my side it's dangerous for you now-"

"You're the one who told me to go off to the village with Shippo in such a hurry anyway" she bit

"And I told you to stay with the others!"

"You told me to go to the village and I did just that!" She defended "I can't always wait around for you, why is it fair that you're allowed to go off and I can't? Why did you take so long anyway? If you're so eager to keep me within eyes sight, why did you leave for so long, huh!"

He blushed.

Kagome didn't notice his reaction and continued "Besides I'm not going to break from a few little words Inuyasha, I'm a big girl." She said reaching with one hand to her head to toy with an ear to calm herself.

"Quit doing that while I'm talking too you!"

She frowned "What are you talking about?" making small circular motions with the tips of her fingers at the base of her appendage.

"That!" He exclaimed pointing to her head

She stopped and fluttered her ears to adjust them "Why? wan't me to play with yours?" She asked playfully

His right ear twitched and he went red with embarrassment... or rage? Kagome couldn't quite tell.

"N-no!" he sputtered

Shrugging, Kagome let a lazy "You're loss" out then suddenly realized she was acting kind of odd and became embarrassed herself for being so casual about the notion of rubbing his ears.

If it had been a week and a half ago Kagome would have never asked him such a question, Inuyasha never let anyone touch his ears. Kagome could never think of a time that she saw Inuyasha touch them himself except for the occasional scratch when needed. Now that Kagome had some of her own she couldn't stop playing with them, she even let Shippo play with them and couldn't help but notice Inuyasha's slight jealousy. She didn't understand why he just didn't ask her, perhaps he thought of it as an unmanly-kind of weakness or something, but the more she got used to them the more she was curious about his. She didn't mind them at all really, though she wasn't used to her ears being so susceptible to water, Inuyasha warned her to keep them dry after a bath or rain to prevent irritation or ear infections. She looked at her reflection constantly for the first few days because they made her feel very self conscious, Kagome thought she looked like one of those coss players that dressed up like sexy demon girls back in her time, Kagome wasn't sexy; well at least that's what she thought. But despite all that she would sometimes give herself a curious seductive looks in the reflection of a pond or bucket of water and thought the ears added something interesting to her appearance, but felt silly at the same time. At first Inuyasha looked at her and the ears as if he had inflicted a horrible scar upon her, his eyes mournful and sad but soon the guilt turned to annoyance as her toying turned into a slight obsession. Kagome couldn't help it! she would start rubbing them in a little habit-like itch because they were so soft! and it felt really good to rub them.

"Stop changing the subject bitch" He growled

She frowned at his _'bitch'_ comment, she was sure Inuyasha didn't notice how offensive it was to her but Sango explained that Wolf demons often called their mates that as well, Kagome knew the literal term for it was for a female dog and well, she couldn't say she wasn't but it still annoyed her. Careful not to come back with "K-A-G-O-M-E" Like she had before, that would usually set for another argument she pushed out something else... It still didn't help.

"I didn't, you're the one who had a problem with me rubbing my ears" Kagome said dully stretching again and relaxing her body into the ground.

She knew her little quips were testing his patients but lately she felt satisfied to argue in a bored manner towards him, he hated it, enraged him even and it made her laugh inside hysterically. She felt awful for it but in a messed up way she enjoyed it too, Sango had also said that Female demons often like to defy their mates... it was a male vs. female battle, to be first to get the upper hand on things or 'dominate' the other. Kagome could get that, seeing how most demon males she had met were so moody or stubborn and even more so the females. Inuyasha was always so hot headed but lately he was tiptoeing around her emotions like she were some emotionally unbalanced child and she didn't like that, he was always so honest with her before, so her little banters with him were the only thing that made Kagome feel as though things were truly going to get back to normal.

She could see his fists tighten and almost couldn't help the smirk that played at her lips.

'_Stop it Kagome you're making him mad, just try and diffuse it and get back to relaxing.' _Her mind tells her, hitting her gut with a pang of guilt.

"I'm sorry I'm not trying to fight with you." She said apologetically looking him in the eye. That seemed to make him relax a bit more, he stared at her for a moment and Kagome looked away up to the clouds hoping that the argument was done, that he would simply lay by her in silence to take in the tranquil moment. She feels his eyes scanning her body thinking it was safe to do so when she looked away making her flush.

Inuyasha looked at her a little differently, in a good way. She would often catch him starring at her and he would try and keep constant contact with her by slight gentle touches and especially liked to carry her lately, Kagome had trouble getting used to get legs for the first day like a helpless baby dear wobbly and uncoordinated. He held her close to him and helped her walk, and holding her by the waist which felt almost intimate to her, she felt a blush creep with the recollection of it.

Snapping out of his muse Inuyasha frowned again. "Keh, you think you can fight off a demon all on your own?" He laughed mockingly sitting down next to her in the grass.

"...No" She admitted not being able to see herself take down a demon with anything but her arrows, she felt her filed claws with the pad of her thumb.

"Well then," He said waiting expectantly for her to give him a good reason.

"I just needed some time away from-" she didn't want to hurt his feelings so she stopped herself from saying _"you"_ and quickly changed it to "the village."

"Somebody bothering you?" He prodded

"No! Jeeze!" she finally said exasperated, propping herself up on her elbows to glare at him. "Inuyasha will you please lighten! up ever since I changed you think that I'm all fragile and helpless! I'm still the same Woman I was before, I'm still Kagome."

"Without your powers you don't have anyway of protecting yourself, you need to stop being so childish Kagome." he snuffed angrily

Kagome froze taken back by his harshness, she didn't like to remember that her powers were gone it took her a whole day to feel the power of the jewel but it was not like how it was before, it wasn't in a spiritual way what so ever, it was pure raw energy that her demon could sense and it drew her to the jewel in a strange way. She looked down at the jewel resting on the crest of her cleavage in the small glass bottle attached to a chain around her neck and felt her throat begin to choke. Maybe she didn't want complete honesty...

Inuyasha sense her emotions instantly, thanks to their blood bond.

"Kagome I didn't mean-"

"No" she muttered rolling to her side and curling up to hold the jewel close to her chest in her tight fists "You're right, I'm useless without my powers."

_'You're such an ass sometimes_' He thought to himself.

"I never said that wench," He lowered reaching out to her

"I can't even sense the stupid thing I'm surprised that it doesn't just turn black." she grumbled "Because of my blood..."

His hand stopped and flinched.

This time she sensed Inuyasha's tension. He stayed quiet to her comment but Kagome could vividly see his face wince behind her back and saw his body shift stiffly. She didn't mean to make it out as a word towards him at all but she knew that's how he took it. Inuyasha felt incredibly guilty for Kagome's lost powers, she knew that underneath his overprotectiveness and under all his irrationality he still thought he tainted her, ruined her in a way. Kagome understood perfectly well that their relationship was a great taboo for this time, a priestess with a demon? Even Kagome found that ironic, but a priestess turned into a demon? well that was completely different. Kagome felt as though it was a joke to have the jewel now, it did not glow with purity like it did before instead it remained in a dormant like state not shimmering not darkening; Kagome had overhead Keade and Sango talk about how this posed as an issue, how now that Kagome had demonic energy, (though little it's still significant) was a danger to herself and their quest. Sango wasn't too worried she had faith that Kagome's powers would return but Keade was a little more blunt. She did however touch on the idea that her powers may be dormant, but how to find this out or uncover it was beyond anyone, but that is why Myoga went off to ask questions on Kagome's behalf to wiser demons who may have answers. But Kaede's comment, it had happened the other day when Kagome had started to feel depressed and took the jewel from the bottle to examine it, why she had done that she didn't know? But the jewel had started turning colour more darker and had enveloped Kagome in a haze that she didn't even notice until Sango had to snap her out of it. Kagome was terrified, just by physically touching it the jewel it reacted to her emotions, fed on her like a leech, the raw power of it made her feel ill but the demon within her was pulled in by the tantalizing energy and Kagome became inconsolable when that had happened. Kaede suggested that the jewel should remain in her possession and Kagome didn't object but Inuyasha retaliated at the notion, trying to defend Kagome's honour and forced her to keep the jewel because she was "the rightful barer" he was doing this to honour Kagome but it hurt her more.

The jewel began to darken.

Inuyasha senced the tainted darkness radiating off the jewel.

"Kagome!" He snapped taking her shoulders not in a harsh way but in concern gently shake and to get her back to reality. He pulled her into him.

Kagome blinked and wiped away her tears not even realizing she was drifting into an uncontrollable daze, Kaede had warned her to stay in control of her emotions.

The jewel resumed it's dull colour.

"Did I just..." Kagome gasped

"Kagome-"

She pushed him a way gently silencing him her bangs covering her eyes, she struggle to fumble with the chain that held the jewel Kagome felt as though it were burning her. "I want it off!" her fingers couldn't disconnect it "I DON'T WANT IT-!" she yellped, and it suddenly fell. She took the bottled jewel and trusted it into Inuyasha's hand but he pushed it back.

"No Kagome you can't give it up like this." He said firmly

"I can't even touch it Inuyasha!" She barked back tears in her eyes "I can't purify it anymore!"

"Don't say that, You're powers-"

"are gone!" She lashed

He winced and pulled back slightly.

They both fell silent once again Kagome looked away in shame and Inuyasha just stared at her as if she were a completely different person.

This conversation made them both realize that things weren't getting better, the whole issue with Kagome's 'problem' was far greater then they could ever have imagined. What did this mean for their quest? they had all tiptoed around the subject for the past few days but it was an elephant in the room that was covered with fake smiles and the appreciation that Kagome was still alive. Yes Kagome was grateful for that but she had to think of the reality of it, this change, this transformation of her body that had rendered her powerless has now jeopardized the whole mission to destroy Naraku. There was a constant hopeless hole in Kagome's heart about the whole thing, if only she still had her powers! But thats what she never spoke of because as much as it pained her she knew Inuyasha was within his own turmoil about his decision. So what could be done about it?

_'What's so wrong with me why am I so negative? why do I keep puting Inuyasha down?_' she thought then it dawned on her, looking down at the jewel between their fingers swirling with a dark energy. The darkness of the jewel... it was... corrupting her, THAT'S IT!

"The jewel Inuyasha" she said once again pressing it into his hand

"Kagome it belongs to you" He tried to argue.

"No, Inuyasha the jewel- the dark part of it anyway. That's whats making me so..." she didn't know how to explain herself "Weird." She placed it in his hand carefully wrapping it into his hands "I never realized it until now, this shadow over me. Inuyasha I think it's slowly corrupting me..."

Inuyasha stared at her in shock. The jewel was corrupting her? It suddenly hit him, as much as he tried to deny it she was a half demon, a demon. She was being manipulated by the darkness of the jewel, he was such and idiot! Weak demons and even humans were easily swayed by the jewel influence and of course she was strong and powerful but without her holy powers and trying to adjust to her demonic aura she became vulnerable to it. How did he not see this coming? Perhaps thats what Kaede was trying to argue with him, stupid old hag should of just said something!... No he was the ass here he didn't even let the old woman explain her reasoning for her wanting to hold the jewel herself. He vowed to protect her from the hardships of being a halfbreed but he never could have prepared for this.

Kagome felt a cloud lift off her head. "Just letting it go I feel better, I've been so worried on losing it that I make sure I have it on me at all times." She said smiling

"And I pushed it on you," He lowered "I caused you more pain."

Kagome smiled sadly and sat up fully turning herself towards him and taking his hands into hers.

He looked into her eyes with such sadness it made her feel awful. "It's not you're fault, you couldn't have known. If anything I should have known better." she said reassuringly

A silence fell between the two Inuyasha looked down at the jewel in his hand contemplating his options.

"...Things are pretty messed up now aren't they" He spoke disheartened

"Yeah" Kagome lowered

"And us?" He asked hesitantly

She took his hand again and rubbed it with her thumb looking at him with a small smile despite the hurt she had in her. "We're ok, We can get through anything."

He smirked at her reassuring words but thought the whole thing to be funny in a cruel way.

"We'll find a way Kagome, to get you're powers back there has to be someway."

"I don't want to have false hope Inuyasha, can we just treat it as though it wont?" She sighed sadly "But like I said we'll get through this, with new training right?"

He gave a halfhearted smirk "Need's a little work" Then went solemn "When myoga gets back hopefully he'll have some answers for us"

"The jewel will have to stay with Kaede for now" Kagome said  
>Inuyasha simply nodded looking down at the jewel<p>

She laughed a defeated laugh leaning her head against his shoulder, "Oh what a mess were in."

He knew how to cheer her up but it was something he had been dreading for days, might as well offer before she asks though. "If you want... you can go back to your time for a bit to relax a little..." he said reluctantly

Kagome perked up "Really!... Are you sick?"

He faltered a little at her comment "Yes- what? no! and I never get sick wench!"

She looked at him inspectingly and leaned in and placed the back of her right hand against his forehead "Hmmm, you're not running a temperature."

Inuyasha slapped her hand away. "I'm not sick!"

Kagome arched her brow "You only really ever offer to go to my time unless your sick so you can have my mom make you home made ramen."

"That was once!" He pressed, though his mouth did salivate at the thought of her mothers soup.

Kagome looked at him for a long while as if to evaluate what he was offering. "So I can go back?"

He looked at her funny "Well yeah wench it's not like I'm forcing you to stay here."

"I know it's just that you never like it when I go home, you always fight me on it." She beamed leaning in closer to him.

He blushed "Keh."

"...So you're not sick?"

"Wench!" he growled

"Just asking!" She smiled

"You're coming with me right?" she asked

"Didn't you just say you were tired of me wench?" he smirked

Kagome bit her lip "No, I just think that you need to stop treating me like a baby"

Inuyasha would never admit that he was being too overprotective of Kagome, after all was his mate! He still couldnt get used to the idea, though they were still technically not mated, she bore his mark, a fading mark but a mark none the less. Myoga said that to make the mark permanent Inuyasha would have to mark her in the same spot a couple of times.

"Kagome I know you're still, you. I just-" He grumbled looking away from her.

"Worry?" She finished

She suddenly leaned in and Kissed him on the cheek gently making him freeze and melt all at once.

"W-what was that for?" He said dazed

"Do I need a reason?" She said innocently enough

"Your trying to change the subject wench." He chuckled through lustful eyes

Rolling her eyes she laughed "I never said I was tired of you, I just need a little space is all."

"And you ain't gunna change that wench" He said stubbornly crossing hims arms

she sighed "I know Inuyasha, I know."

He smirked in triumph.

She just smiled sweetly to him... too sweetly, leaning in to him and thinking she was coming in for another kiss he leaned in too but she stoped before his lips "Fine you do as you please, but if you don't let up a little you'll have your very own creator in the dirt, got it?" she said darkly reaching up and twisting the subjugation beads in her hands.

His eye twitched "K-Keh, you threatening me bitch?"

She smirked and let go of the beads "Sit" she said gently but his face slammed into the ground unkindly

"Fucking hell Kagome!"

Wincing at how hard he had hit the ground she felt slightly guilty but was determined to hold her ground, she needed to get her message through his thick skull "Thats just so show you that I mean business" She said cooly standing up

"Don't walk away from me bitch! You can forget about me coming to you're time with you!"

"What? Oh you're coming..." She warned putting her hands on her hips and shadowing over him "YOU'RE the one who's going to have to explain my change to my mother. AND the fact that my new uniform is ALREADY ruined."

"Shit, I forgot about you're mother" He gasped "HEY, I saved your ass! you're weird clothed were just a small casualty"

"mmmhm" she said sauntering away with a sway in her hips.

"You're still coming."

"Keh"

"Stop staring perv" She smirked

He quickly looked away from her back side and sputtered "I-I was not! Hey! Kagome, You can put that on me! Kagome?... Kagomeeeee!"

***Western Castle, The Dog lords stronghold hidden in the heavily forested valleys of Kyoto***

A tall figure stood at the ledge of the wood that looked out into the setting sun casting an orange glow on the other Villas down in the valley hidden within the thick pale branches of sakura blossoms trees. A small lake faced the castle that was built on a grand hill and took up most of the base with steep curved stone walls, a large field could be seen at a distance but was nearly blocked from the rolling hills but the fragrance of flowers drifted in the air from there.

Golden eyes scanned the land, the demon was tall his Silver hair in a tight braid going down his back and past his waist, His grey mokomoko-sama (Fluffy thing) draped over his left shoulder, he wore a deep blue traditional kimono with white prints of half moons around the collar and cuffs. His armor was fine and prisine made from the finest Demon Iron, his Sode (shoulder plates) were made of the same material and most likely re-enforced by a dragon scale which were also woven into his chest plate. The sash that held his waist was Ivory white with blue blossoms, two swords at either side both abnormally long and the sheaths engraves in gold lettering of an ancient time. His stance was strong and posture purposeful as he glanced over the land, this being emanated power and high authority.

"Lord Constantine?" A small voice said

The great demon turned his head slightly to acknowledge the small flea "Myoga, back so soon?"

"Yes My Lord" Myoga said approaching "I have come to ask for you're knowledge on the blood ritual for my master."

Constantine turned his attention back to the land "I know why it is you seek my counsel."

"Y-You do Mi Lord?"

"Ay, I have seen what the further holds for this land, and what must be done."

"What must be done?" Myoga said confused "You had dealings with Shibatsu of foresight haven't you my lord"

Constantine turned to the flea and smirked "Does that worry you old friend?"

Myoga stirred uncomfortably "I can't say I approve my lord, Knowing you're future can greatly alter the outcome"

"Always were a worrier" Constantine chuckled deeply

"Lord Constantine, My lady her powers-"

"Yes I know her spiritual abilities have ultimately vanished due to her transformation has it not?"

"Ay mi lord"

"As how it should be, never in all my centuries have I heard of a holy woman sharing demonic blood it is not possible for that to happen. This woman is truly a remarkable human."

"That she is, I thank the gods that my master has found a worthy mate such as she, and she to him. I am however worried of her change she is the bearer of the Shikon jewel shard it is her duty to keep it's purity, but now that is nearly impossible."

"Do not worry that will be handled in due time by another"

"So her powers they are not gone my lord?" Myoga said hopeful

Constantine looked back towards the land and watched as a flock of birds flew by in the distance "It's all in the matter of her heart. Unfortunately I do not know a great amount of how she will regain her abilities but do not frett over it."

They stayed silent for a moment "You have something else to ask of don't you?"

"Oh! uh, yes Mi Lord, M-Master Inuyasha... he is losing control of his demon. The Tetsuaiga it is no longer fulfilling it's purpose of containing his blood."

His brows furrowed slightly "The Tetsuaiga was entrusted by the late Lord Inutashio to Inuyasha not to simply hold back his demon blood, surely you must know that Myoga. It was entrusted to him to realize his true power, his true path in life." Constantine said knowingly "I think the time approaches for me to intervene in this little quest, Inuyasha must learn to control what he fears."

"Are you sure that is wise Lord?"

"Do you question my motives?"

"N-no my lord, but given your's and Inuyasha's past... is it? He will not come willingly to you."

"Who said anything about willingly?"

"Oooh" Myoga grumbled nervously "I don't like the sound of that! Please don't do anything too drastic Mi Lord." he jumped

"Like I said before you worry too much Myoga, but don't fret this will take some planning. Relax for the time being I will not approach them unless necessary. But this Naraku character he will become a great threat to the whole land. He has run rampant for far too long, demon lords are speaking of him all too proud to admit that he is a problem, and all are too preoccupied with nothing to do anything about him. I can't stand by and allow this any longer."

"That is what my master has been trying to do for years, rid the world of that foul thing."

"Yes, the time will come soon but I need you to make sure of something Myoga."

"What is it Mi Lord?"

"You must by all means prevent those two from mating"

"What?"

"Coitus, Myoga" Constantine said dully

"Forgive me, I just though- I thought I heard wrong. But why Constantine?"

"She can not be with child in the coming months."

Myoga began to sweat "How am I supposed to stop two young demons from, doing that!"

"I'm sure you'll find a creative way" Constantine smirked Walking back towards the door into the corridors "Just remember 'Spring hunting' is fast approaching."

"Why do I know this will mean a lot of trouble and pain for me" Myoga whined with a tear.

*** Back with Inuyasha and Kagome***

Kagome stood at the well a cold sweat hitting her hard from her nervousness. _'What if it doesn't work, what if I can't get through for some reason?'_

"It's ok Kagome, if I can get through you can get through and I have the jewel on me" Inuyasha assured behind her

_'Hes right, why am I being so silly_' but she still felt uneasy, it was that nightmare she had last night it still rattled her. Not being able to return to her time Kagome couldn't fathom it, Her brother, grandfather and Mother all left there or more so her left here not able to see one another ever again... she couldn't even think of a world without them.

"Kagome" Inuyasha's concerned voice cut into her thoughts, she looked back at him tense and nervous as he deflected himself from coming any closer to the well just as she was preparing to over come her fear of being trapped here.

"What if you're family... what if they can't accept you. for what you are now." Inuyasha's past and over analyzing over shadowed his perception of Kagome's family who would love her unconditionally even if she sprouted horns and wings and breathed fire... his past scarred him too much.

"You do know your talking about my family right? The ones who believed me when I said I was warped to the feudal era without thinking I'm a nut case, the ones who welcomed a certain half demon into their home without freaking out or treating you like a pariah, though you constantly destroy our things." She smirked

"They're gunna hate me" He grumbled

"No they wont you idiot" Kagome said walking over and pushing him forward "Stop being a scardy cat and get a move on."

"Hyprocrite" He mumbled under his breath

"Don't make me, make you, eat dirt" She said raising her brow

He suddenly grabbed her by the waist and held her off the ground under his arm.

"Inuyasha!" she flushed "Put me down jerk!"

"If I'm doing down I'm taking you with me" He huffed

"Put me down!" she squealed as he jumped up onto the ledge of the well

"Like I said if I'm going down I'm taking you sown with me" He said flashing her a toothy grin and jumped in.

The bright warm glow surrounded them Inuyasha held Kagome up right, his hand clasped in hers and squeezing gently. Kagome smiled.

They landed on the other side softly on to the dirt. They stayed there for a moment Inuyasha folding onto her waist firmly readying to jump out but he never did, she could feel trembling.

"Are you that nervous?" Kagome asked looking back at him

Sweat dripped down his cheek, his face hard. He looked at her in the darkened as if he were contemplating something serious.

"No" He growled

"I'm nervous too" Kagome said as if he had said '_yes_'... his eyes did anyway.

"Yeah I know, I'm just not a jerk and pointing it out" He grumbled

Kagome flushed and looked away, sometimes knowing each others emotions made it hard not to point out the small things that might not want to be noticed.

"Kagome" His usually strong voice sounded so small "They wont- they wont be angry right?"

"No Inuyasha they wont."

"Because if they don't- I mean if they... shun-" the word '_shun'_ came out of his mouth with bitter pain "-you. I'll take you away from here, forever if you want, I'll protect you from ever being hurt again." He held her closer to him his breath fanning her neck.

"I know you would Inuyasha" She said calmly

He jumped out with her still in his arms.

They opened the sliding doors to the well house and came into the afternoon light, Kagome was assaulted with the pungent aroma of her time, the smog of pollution and mingled scents of humans and whatever was cooking in her home make her wrinkle her nose. Is this how Inuyasha smells her era? She and Inuyasha walked out into the courtyard passing the sacred tree not even realizing they were holding hands tightly. Kagome smelled the familiar smell of her mother, she smelled of sweet cherry blossoms and a mix of different lotions and then she spotted her mother sweeping by the shrine steps.

"This is a bad idea" Inuyasha whispered

"Don't be silly" Kagome hushed

Hearing a voice Mrs. Higurash looked up at then and double glanced at them before she continued sweeping, her mouth opening with a smile to say a greeting to them but she cut short, dropping her broom.

Inuyasha froze and tugged Kagome back gently not liking Mrs. Higurashi's reaction, but Kagome softly pulled away and continued to walk towards her mother.

Kagome stopped a few feet short, fidgeting with her fingers nervously. "Mama..." Kagome didn't know what to say or how to start.

Mrs. Higurashi stepped forward her eyes wide with surprise not taking them off the top of Kagome's head, her hands reached up and grabbed the soft ears tweaking them softly. Kagome gasped.

A smile spread on her mothers face "They're adorable darling"

Kagome smiled back and hugged her mother suddenly "You're not upset mama?"

Pulling Kagome away and holding her by the shoulders she looked into her daughters worried eyes "Of course not, why should I be? I'm sure theres a good reason for this change, is there not?"

"Inuyasha-"

They looked back at him, making him perk up and shy away.

"He saved my life by using his blood, and well this is what happened." Kagome simply shrugged

"Inuyasha come here" Mrs. Higurashi beckoned gently with a wave

He slowly slid next to Kagome his posture withdrawn and nervous. "I-I'm sorry, that I let Kagome get hurt" He lowered

Mrs. Higurashi came up and embraced him warmly. "Thank you for keeping her safe"

Not knowing where to put his arms he stood stiff and awkward in her arms but was equally as surprised by her action. He though of how funny her comment sounded 'K_eeping her safe? Is she blind?'_ But he realized that what Kagome said was true, that no matter what her family would accept her not matter what she was. They accepted him as well. "So you're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad dear?" she chuckled pulling away "About her ears? Although she did have the cutest little ears as a baby."

His ears flattened "No I mean you're not mad that she's half demon now?" he pressed

The older woman blinked and turned to her daughter "Half demon?" she said in awe

"I didn't mean to change her into a half demon, it just happened I had no way of controlling it." He lowered his head

Kagome's mother didn't seem to understand why Inuyasha looked so guilty "Oh Inuyasha, don't make such a face. You make it seem as though someone died... I happen to think they kind of suit her, don't you think?" Mrs. Higurashi said looking around her daughter curiously leaning in to inspect every inch of her daughter making Kagome feel awkward herself.

Kagome blushed and looked at Inuyasha, she never did ask him how she appeared to him after her change but that would be such an embarrassing question to ask.

"Yeah, I guess" He mumbled looking to the side as a bright blush spread on his cheeks.

"You do look quite different dear, more toned have you been working out a lot on the other side?"

"Perks of being part demon" Kagome said scratching her head.

"How fascinating"

"Mama... That's not all..." Kagome said coyly

Inuyasha eyed her curiously _'Not all? what is she talking about?'_

Kagome boldly took Inuyasha's hand with hers "Inuyasha and I are... were"

Inuyasha flinched, full panic spreading over him_ 'We never agreed to tell her that!'  
><em>  
>Mrs. Higurashi didn't need to be told, the way the two were acting, they flushed skin and how much close they stood next to one another.<p>

Her eyes shined bright and she clasped her hands together "I've been waiting for this day for a long time, when is the wedding? Will you be having one? should I be expecting grand children sometime soon, I would hope you wait till after you're studies are done you've come so far..."

Both Inuyasha and Kagome fell over comically

"Mama!" Kagome exclaimed as her mother continued to go on about how cute her grandchildren would be with little dog ears. "P-please stop"

"Sorry dear I just can't help it, I'm just so happy for the both of you. To be honest I was worried Inuyasha wouldn't have the gull to finally ask you."

"What?" Inuyasha said his eye twitched with irritation.

"Kagome" An elderly voice called out.

She turned towards the house, the direction her name was called out from and was suddenly slapped on the forehead with a strip of paper.

"Demon processing my granddaughter be gone!" Grandpa declared holding his thumb, middle and index finger in a ceremonial way like the monks did.

Kagome looked dully at the powerless piece of paper on her face "Oh, brother" she sighed peeling it off. "I'm not being processed grandpa"

"Kagome! You can talk? what has happened to you why do you have ears like Inuyasha?"

"I'm half demon now grandpa"

"H-Half d-d-demon? He did this didn't he, I knew that boy was trouble, look at what he's done to my precious granddaughter!" The elder sobbed waving his wooden sword

Inuyasha was suddenly hit on the head with the bamboo stick "Gah! what did you do that for you crazy old man!" he wined holding his head in pain.

"Grandpa please don't be so rash" Mrs. Higurashi tired to say but the old man continued to rant

"How can I not be, just look at what he's done to Kagome! Look at what he's made her into!" He blurted in distress

Inuyasha stood straight and his features filled with rage, he opened his mouth to recant and defend his mate but Kagome beat him to it.

"Grandpa!" Her voice rose angrily "Don't say things like that, Inuyasha saved my life! You should be grateful to him like I am! I will not stand here and let you scold my mate for doing something that needed to be done, shame on you!"

Everyone went silent, Kagome wasn't usually one to raise her vice especially to her grandfather but he was threatening her mate, and she defended him by instinct.

Inuyasha stared in astonishment, his Kagome, His mate just stood up for him and even called him her 'mate' did she even realize it?

"Forgive me Kagome, Inuyasha." Grandpa sobbed once again hugging his granddaughter dramatically "I didn't mean to offend!"

Kagome sighed and patted his back "I know it comes as a surprise to you but please understand, ok?"

"I at least demand an explanation" The elder said, his composure suddenly going back to normal as he stepped away from Kagome.

_'Grandpa is so weird'_ she thought at his sudden change in attitude.

"Yes, I'm sure there's a very interesting story. Let's hear it over dinner?" Mrs. Higurashi said

"Ok" Kagome beamed "Hungry Inuyasha?"

_'Not sure it thats appropriate dinner talk'_ Kagome also thought as she remembered that the process wasn't necessarily a clean one, Kagome would just have to keep the details to a minimum, her mother would want to see the mark as well. At least it didn't look to harsh anymore.

"Sure" he said absently as him and grandpa stared at each other with a spark of tension.

As they walked towards the house Mrs. Higurashi leaned to her daughter "Kagome did you call Inuyasha you're mate before?"

Kagome blinked looking over to Inuyasha who was smirking "I did?" she blushed "Yeah, I guess I did"

"What does that mean?"

"Keh, it means Kagome is my mate is all, I marked her and now demons will know she's taken." Inuyasha said crossing his arms with an overloading sense of pride

"Inuyasha" Kagome growled hoping to break the news to her grandfather lightly, now he was just saying that to get her grandfather riled up.

"Mate? Mark?" Grandpa said utterly confused

"So should I be expecting grandchildren soon then?" Her mother asked with a bright smile nudging Kagome

Kagome's face turned red "Mama!"

"What!" Grandpa gasped

"Oh yeah we forgot to tell you the news, I myself just found out. Kagome and Inuyasha are together now" Mrs. Hirugashi smiled simply

Turning to Inuyasha with a dark look in his eye that had Inuyasha recoiling from the shiver that ran down his spine Grandpa Higurashi exclaimed, "YOU DEFILED MY INNOCENT GRAND-BABY!"

*WHACK*

"Owww!" Inuyasha howled as the stick connected with his shin

"Oh brother" Kagome sighed

"Mark? What mark?" Mrs. Higurashi said curiously

Kagome pulled down her collar and showed her mark.

"YOU BIT MY GRANDAUGHTER!"

*Whack!*

"Gwaaaaah!" Inuyasha howled after being struck in the head again with the bamboo stick. "Quit that!"

Kagome's grandfather proceeded to chase Inuyasha around the courtyard with his wooden sword threatening the half demon saying he was going to cut a certain parts of him off, Inuyasha jumped away from the attacks easily.

"Grandpa" Kagome grumbled covering her face with a hand. How mortifying.

Her mother just smiled.

* * *

><p>AN:

Hey thanks for waiting! thing's have been busy for me but I promised I wouldn't stop writing until I was done so don't worry! chapters are taking a bit longer then I had expected. I'll admit I've been getting distracted by books, I've never really been a book person but it's my new years resolution to read more books; weird huh? I love to write yet I don't read much... well I guess I used to read a lot of fanfiction. Anyway I got into the series The Hunger Games, I was a little reluctant because for some reason some people compared it to Twilight which instantly disinterested me (sorry to Twilight fans... just not a fan) I was also kind of reluctant to get into the hype of it all to because everyone keeps ranting and raving about the book and I didn't want to be in the mingle but my sister bought the first book left it at my house and so I read it. I couldn't put it down! And I'm such a picky reader, theres only a handful of book I truly love and I never buy books because I find it wasteful to buy books that I might end up not finishing or liking for that matter. I bought all the books and read them within a week. Now I'm reading them again. So for all the people who were like me and are hesitant to join the cult of crazy Hunger Game fanatics I really recommend it, it's popular for a reason right?  
>Any-who, I apologize for the great delay, my previous statement of pushing out a chapter every 2 weeks might have to just be once every month, but I'm getting some time off so I'll have a little more free time. Again, they'll keep coming so no worries.<p>

Please tell me if anything I'm writing is confusing.

I love the comments and hope everyone is enjoying it so far!


	6. All Your Light

**Chapter: 6**  
><strong>-All your light-<strong>

Inuyasha glared at her back from where he sat crossed, on her bed, he stared and stared... if only looks could kill.

He had officially spent the better half of, he glanced at the clock again, three- what was it? HOURS, starring at the back of Kagome's head. In that time he had learnt what the numbers on the little block on Kagome's night stand meant, what the little slowly moving sticks did and over all tell the fucking time in Kagomes era. Because he was alone, with nothing but his thoughts. The *tick *tick, ticking was permanently drilled into his brain, 60 ticks one time laps for a minute Kagome called it and 60 time laps's meant one hour. He pouted, Kagome had scolded him last time he interrupted her studying and threatened to sit him so he stayed quiet, but not for long. He began to tap his foot at one point and he got a sharp "shhhh" from Kagome, he fiddled with the tetsuaiga "shhhh!", he so much as moved causing the bed to creak "SHHH!" so then he resorted to glaring at her making up different threats in his mind like ripping up her books, promising he would punish her for this and what not. His demon made an appearance here and there commenting on HOW he could punish her but it was easily ignored for the most part. He had even gone to the other side twice today to check up on things but he couldn't stand hearing Miroku's non discreet advanced towards Sango, though he did enjoy watching her beat the crap out of the perverted monk he more so couldn't stand the little pranks Shippo pulled for practice, knowing he wouldn't be in trouble since Kagome wasn't around (That is unless Inuyasha caught him) so Inuyasha decided he'd rather stay here and watch over Kagome than anything even though she wasn't in any danger, except for going crazy with her stupid books.

'_Why is she so bent on reading that stupid stuff over being with me'_ his thoughts growled but realized how petty that sounded _'Grrr, I'm not jealous of a stupid book!'_

Inuyasha didn't realize he growled outloud getting Kagomes slight attention.

"Inuyasha pouting isn't going to make me stop studying" Kagome sighed having felt his eyes burrow into her back for the last three hours but he was determined not to be bothered by it... Kami help him.

"Keh, How would you know if I'm pouting or not, you can't see my face when you're nose in a stupid book" he grumbled

"Oh I can feel it," She countered erasing something furiously "Can't you go play with Souta or something?"

"He's at a friends, for some school assignment."

"Oh... well I'm sorry but I have to catch up on the almost two weeks I've missed."

"School, school, school. Is that all the humans on this side care about?"

"Yes" She answered quickly then continued trying to solve the current question she was on.

"Keh, that's stupid."

Kagome turned on her chair to look back at him, her patients beginning to waver "Inuyasha this isn't stupid this is important I can't afford to do bad now that my mom had to re-buy my uniform and books." Kagome said but couldn't help but feel bad that Inuyasha was bored out of his mind; he had behaved well for the past few days.

His ears lowered "Still blaming me, huh?"

Kagome rolled her eyes and turned back to her work "No, it's my fault... though you are the one who destroyed my uniform."

He leaned back against her wall and relaxed now content with their conversation. "Small casualty in exchange for your life don't you agree?" he scoffed

"Yeah yeah, you keep saying that" she said absently etching down notes furiously.

He pouted again realizing that her attention was fading back to her studies "I said you could come back here if you RELAX wench. Not study."

"Well I cant relax when I'm so behind on my work now can I?" she pressed "besides you said nothing was keeping me from not coming home anyway."

"Kagome" He growled

"I'm almost done for today Inuyasha, please just let me finnish in peace. This is very important." she said desperately as she began to miss spell words while she talked.

"humph!" Inuyasha pouted then opened his mouth to argue some more when there was a sudden knock on the door that interrupted him.

"May I come in?" Mama higurashi said from the other side

"Yes mama" Kagome called out

Mrs. Higurashi opened the door and popped her head in "Studying hard dear?"

"Too hard" Inuyasha growled annoyingly

"Don't mind him mama he's just bored," Kagome waved off "Catching up is a lot harder then before."

"Highschool is a challenge." her mother smiled then turned her attention to Inuyasha "Inuyasha dear?"

Inuyasha perked up and turned to the older woman "Uuuh yeah?"

"If you don't mind, could you go down to the shed and help grandpa with some chores, his back is bad but he insists on keeping busy. I would help but I'm preparing dinner at the moment."

"I guess" He grumbled

Inuyasha sluggishly got off the bed and left the room glaring at his so called mate who didn't even acknowledge his leave.

"Thank you Inuyasha" Mrs Higurashi smiled "I'll make you some instant noodles as a reward."

He flicked an ear "Not the spicy kind right?"

"No, not the spicy kind." she reassured

"Alright then," His mood brightened a little, he rolled up his sleeves and trotted down the stairs "The sooner this is done the sooner I can eat."

Mama just laughed.

Kagome rolled her eyes and continued with her work.

...

Inuyasha's mood dropped again as he approached the shed and could hear Grandpa humming some old traditional song that Inuyasha recognized but the tune was slightly altered, probably changed over the hundreds of years.

He sighed to himself _'The song of my doom.'_

He began to regret his decision to help, thinking of random things he could have done like gone to the other side to check on things maybe swing the Tetsuaiga around, make some firewood for the villagers or SOMETHING other than this. He couldn't bring himself to go back on his word to Mama Hirugashi, and the noodles were too tempting

Warily stepping into the entrance of the shed he grunted a "... Hey"

"Hnnn" Grandpa acknowledged as he shuffled from one shelf to another with a large box.

There was instantly a tense air between them, Inuyasha could feel it and no doubt Grandpa felt it too.

Inuyasha stepped in keeping his aloof attitude "Need help?"

"You could make yourself useful and pick up that box over there and put it on top of this shelf over here" Grandpa gestured to the box on the floor in the corner.

Inuyasha proceeded to do as he was told and helped grandpa with his medial chores. Doing most of the work Inuyasha hoped that letting the elder boss his ass around would make the old coot feel better about the abrupt news that him and Kagome were together and bonded through a demon mark he had to inflict on Kagomes body. Not to mention accidentally turning her into a part demon hybrid. Grandpa wasn't too thrilled to also find out that Kagome's divine spiritual powers that he was so proud of were gone because of the demon blood.

The two simply put on a face for the women in the house who insisted they 'kiss' and make up (Humans had such weird sayings), but they barely talked to each otherwise and Inuyasha couldn't help but get annoyed after a while. The half demon was all for making some kind of amends with the elder for his mates sake, but the stubborn man was relentless with his passive aggressiveness towards Inuyasha, the half demon couldn't quite tell if it was because of disapproval, disappointment or some other underline issue that was obviously not clear.

"You careful with that, it's a priceless family heirloom!" Just one of the hundreds of comments he made to Inuyasha on handling the 'delicate' relics.

"Grab that box now and put it over on this shelf, and don't break anything they're for the shrine store" Grandpa said in a not to pleased tone

Inuyasha had enough.

"Look ol' man" He suddenly said after placing a box labelled 'Charms' on a middle shelf and shoving it roughly in place "I don't care if you don't accept me but wether you like it or not me and Kagome are mates."

Grandpa stopped sweeping and looked back at the half demon with a firm glare.

Inuyasha usually never gave a shit about what he said to who, or the way he said it and when it came to making a point he didn't care how blunt he could be, but alas the more moral side of his god damed brain chastised him for talking so disrespectfully towards Grandpa Higurashi, especially in the old mans territory (That being from his demon side)

Inuyasha's demon side also felt like it was breaching some code of conduct, this was the mans property, his land and keep sake, though Inuyasha was stronger and bigger even elders in his time had some kind of over standing when it came to certain things. But Inuyasha's demon was equally territorial, especially when it came to Kagome, it pushed for the silent battle of dominance as if it wanted to knock the old man off his pedestal and show his strength over the weaker human, but he knew better then to do that here.

Grandpa sighed and shook his head turning away "Stupid boy."

"Grrr, What is your problem old man!?" Inuyasha snapped

Instantly grandpa charged with "My problem with you boy is that not even a month ago my poor granddaughter comes running back from your time in tears because you break her heart with some undead woman you keep pining over and from what I've been hearing this has been happening quite some time."

Inuyasha looked at him in shock.

"... So you don't deny that you have two timed her?"

_'He doesn't hold back, does he?'_ The half demon thought

Had Grandpa known about this all along? He focused back to the old man's accusation "Two timed? No!" Inuyasha barked

"Well that's what it sounds like, running off at odd hours of the night to another woman... sounds like a guilty man."

"I never two timed her!" But Inuyasha's memory suddenly dinged the image of that kiss years back. But that was before he truly understood his feelings for Kagome, he shouldn't feel guilty for that, thing was that he did. At the risk of sounding dodgy he gave way hesitantly to the guilty memory "Okay! Yes it's true, I've hurt her... but that was before I understood what Kagome meant to me."

"Is that supposed to convince me that you're true to Kagome?" Grandpa snuffed "In a matter of weeks no less."

Inuyasha was getting frustrated, grandpa was obviously out to get him and Inuyasha did not know how he could explain himself to the elder.

"And now you charmed her with you're demon magic and bite her to make her yours with some demon markings" Grandpa said a little dramatically

Inuyasha's demon suddenly sparked within him at the small jab about the mark. "It's not just a bite, it's more then that." He growled through gritted fangs.

"Well what is it's purpose? other then to make her your property... you just go and brand her like cattle-"

"IT MEANS EVERYTHING!" Inuyasha snarled angrily his blood beginning to burn inside, he looked away and tried to calm his breathing to get ahold of his demon before he continued nearly unable to control his rising emotions. "You have no idea how that mark binds us, or what kind of standing it has over there! What it means to me!"

"Don't you snarl at me boy, I have every right to be upset with you. I may not understand your demon rituals but that's my granddaughter were talking about, that's my own flesh and blood."

Inuyasha shut his mouth, taking a moment to breath and push back his angering blood.

**_'Kill him, show who is stronger._**' His demon hissed

Trying not to panic from the disturbing thoughts his demon gave him concerning grandpa he internally argued back. _'Son of a- this isn't a fucking stand off of strength fucker, it doesn't work like that here!'_

Inuyasha looked to grandpa again hoping the old man didn't realize what was happening within his troubled mind and he simply nodded, showing he understood.

"Inuyasha can you tell me what do you really want from Kagome?" Grandpa suddenly asked

_'**To be mine'**_ The loud obnoxious voice in the back of his head chimed making Inuyasha tense, his demon didn't know shit all. He cleared his throat he repeated confused. "What do I want?"

"Yes boy what intentions do you have with her."

Inuyasha was at a loss, what the hell did the old man want from him? "Wuh?"

"Oh what a curse to have fallen on my granddaughter to deserve a wretch like you" Grandpa sighed sarcastically

Inuyasha growled to warn that grandpa has poked enough at him.

"So you have said that you have some demonic claim on her but she was or _is_ human and do you know how humans pledge their souls to one another?"

_'Humans pledge thier-? wait, does he mean a marriage?'_ Inuyasha blinked in surprise.

It made sense though, him and Kagome were technically 'intended' to one another via the binding of his mark on her, and although a fading mark it may be it still held strong standing in the demon heritage. But humans wouldn't understand the kind of connection it had, Kagome did; at least he thinks she does... Kagome had demon blood now, marriage shouldn't matter, right?

_'Half-Demon, still means she's part human and she was born human so she practices human traditions... God I'm an idiot.'_ He thought with a sick turning in his stomach, he had never thought for a second that the mark would be an equivalence to a human marriage, in fact marriage wasn't something that had ever really crossed his mind.

Then it hit him. _'I-I never really thought of what Kagome wanted.' _

Inuyasha roughly cleared his suddenly dry throat "Incase you forgot I'm only **half** demon old man not an idiot, I know you mean marriage."

"Well then you should know that I hope you honour my granddaughter by marrying her."

Inuyasha blinked... Wait what?

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed "Wait a minute, I don't get you! One minute you're saying I'm a no good two timer then you insult my claim on her and now you're asking I need to marry her? Is this your fucked up way off giving us your blessing or rejecting me?"

"It all depends," Grandpa said a little too brightly while stroking his beard absently with a mischievous grin "if you answer the question properly"

"Question?"

"What do you want from Kagome?"

Inuyasha pressed his lips in a hard line, Grandpa was always a mysterious/insane old man he always seemed to unaware of things, oblivious of the actual dangers that happened on the other side of the well but perhaps Inuyasha didn't give the old koot enough credit. But what did the old man want him to say?

_'Think deeper about the question idiot'_ his conciseness quipped annoyingly _'What do I want from Kagome...'_

"Forgiveness" Inuyasha uttered under his breath not even knowing where the answer came from but it was the first thing to come to mind.

"Hnn?" grandpa raised a brow.

"What I truly want from her is forgiveness. For everything I've done to her and I'll spend the rest of my days protecting her, proving my worth to her... as little as it is." Inuyasha said pouring every ounce of sincerity into his words wanting the old man to get how much his granddaughter meant to him but was unable to keep his embarrassed flush of red down.

Grandpa stared at the Half-demon, analyzing him and judging him in a protective way but the corner of his lips curled and the old man finally smiled.

"Fair enough" He said solemnly.

Inuyasha's ear flicked "So... that's it?" He asked unsure

Grandpa sighed to himself "My little Kagome leaves to you're world a girl and over the years she transforms into a beautiful flower who's smart and strong..." he smiled softly looking as though he were thinking of fond memories of that past.

Inuyasha's eye twitched realizing that the old man was lost in an instant, mumbling and laughing at past memories practically forgetting Inuyasha and the conversation they were just having.

"Hey! We were having a talk old man don't go all senile on me!"

Coming out of his thoughts the elder looked back to the half demon "What was I going to say to you? Ah yes! I wan't you to know boy that no matter what I don't care that she's changed in to a demon or whatever she is, she is my blood and I will always love her."

Inuyasha gaped at him, feeling the tension he felt over grandpa dissipate "Th-thank you" he struggled

"Your answer was alright I guess. Still think it's unfortunate for Kagome to be stuck with a welp like you forever... but you have some human in you so you aren't all that bad."

"Keh, some kind of complement old man." Inuyasha snuffed

"Let me warn you Inuyasha, if you hurt my grandaughter again kami help me I will purify you" grandpa warned

Inuyasha almost laughed at the comment but the threat was quite clear _'Hurt her and you're dead._'

"I know old man, I know."

"And keep your hands to yourself Inuyasha, you so touch her wrong my previous threat still stands."

Inuyasha's cheeks reddened and he snuffed at the comment picking up another heirloom any reaching to put it on the shelf.

"You hear me out boy! I don't want no unwed granddaughter of mine having children- demon children until she's married!"

_'Ch-children?'_ The vase Inuyasha held slipped out of his hands.

*SMASH*

Grandpa gawked at the destroyed priceless pottery shattered into a million pieces across the floor.

A deadly glare flashed to Inuyasha that gave him a cold shiver from head to toe.

*** With Kagome ***

Kagome put down her pencil and pushed herself away from the desk with a mournful sigh.

"I'm doomed, this math test is coming up soon and I can't even grasp the basics" She groaned looking over to her mound of books pushed back to the corner of the desk, Modern Literature, English, Japanese/World History and the list goes on...

She rested her head on her arm lazily, sighed to herself her eyes went over to the bottled jewel sitting at the corner of her desk and she frowned _'Why is everything so difficult for me right now... what did I ever do?' _Kagome took a deep breath and Inuyasha's lingering sent invaded her senses.

_'I wonder How Inuyasha and Grandpa are doing?'_ then she shook her head, _'What am I doing I need to keep studying!'_ but she couldn't bring herself to pick up her pencil.

"Inuyasha" she sighed to herself putting her head on her desk.

He was always on her mind she couldn't quite shake it, so much has happened in so little time... she definitely needed to have a long talk with sango. Why? Because Kagome wasn't completely sure of her and Inuyasha's position with each other, because they never talk about it. It wasn't that she didn't understand what their bond meant, her heart knew that she belonged to him forever but in the sense of _affections_... Were they to be lovers? There was just this sudden closeness with one another, he was affectionate from time to time, respectful enough but then there would be these moments where everything was let down and their emotions would be so intense it would scare her more then she was willing to admit, she also couldn't help but think it was mostly due to the bond and her new instincts. Then was that it? Was Inuyasha merely acting on instinct... was she acting on instinct? The attraction to him was so real though but it was never like this before, of course she was attracted to Inuyasha and she loved him but, things were strange right now. Sure she was maturing and mature people were reserved for mature thoughts but was she right to think such things or was she turning into a perverted mind?

The phone suddenly rang making Kagome pause.

"...Kagome dear," Her mother called from downstairs "Telephone."

Kagome perked up _'For me?'_ she dashed out of her room and down the stairs.

"Thanks mama," she said taking the phone from her mother quickly

Before she turned her attention to the phone she looked to her mother "Thanks for getting Inuyasha out of the house by the way mama."

Her mother just nodded and then disappeared back into the laundry room.

Kagome positioned the phone awkwardly not knowing really how to hold it since her ear was far higher then normal. She focused her hearing as best she could on the phone and cleared her throat.

"Hello?"

"Kagome!"

Recognizing the happy voice she smiled "Hey Ayumi"

"How are you feeling Kagome last time I called your grandfather said you caught something called foot in mouth disease. He said you had painful ulcers all over your mouth you couldn't even speak! It sounded awful!"

Kagome slouched _'Grandpa...'_

"Uh, Yeah. But I'm all better now."

"Me and the girls wanted to come visit you but you're mother said that she didn't want us to get infected."

"Yeah it's super contagious so I was pretty much quarantined to my room, my mother wore a mask and everything" Kagome made up on the spot

"Oh wow, well I'm glad your better now! we have so much to catch up on."

"Really whats been going on?" Kagome said a little disheartened

Ayumi went on to tell Kagome about Highschool things that Kagome knew she would never experience like plays and activities Ayumi and the girls were in and how they all made the volleyball team, get togethers with people she'd never met before, all going out for ice cream or more lately- coffee's, carnivals, concerts and boyfriends. Kagome slumped to the floor and leaned on the wall miserably listening to all the things girls her age should be doing. Did she really feel that bad about missing out on all these things... maybe a little but it was worth if to... you know, save feudal japan and doing it with people she cared about, the people she loved.

"I have more stories but it's better to tell in person" Ayumi said cheerfully

"I'm sure" Kagome chuckled

"The girls and I are going to a cute little caffe we found last week. would you like to come?"

_'Caffe? have they moved on from ice cream at Wacdonalds and to more cooler things like regular high school senior_s?'

"That sounds nice, but I have to get back to studying I'm really behind right now."

"Oh, I could give you my study notes for the math test! I also have more homework from English for you as well, I can give you my notes on that too."

This brightened Kagomes mood "Really! That would be a real big help Ayumi, I've just been struggling with it so much and with Inuyasha being here-"

Kagome winced as she realized what bit of information she shouldn't have let slip.

"WHAT? **THE** INUYASHA IS BACK?" Ayumi squealed into the phone making Kagome's ears flatten against her scalp.

_'Darn it Kagome!' S_he scolded heself.

"You have to bring him! You and him can meet my boy friend Haro!" Ayumi exclaimed

"I-I don't know..." Kagome cringed

"Oh pleeeeeeeease Kagome!" Ayumi begged

Trapped. Kagome knew she couldn't say no but she knew that this would be a complete disaster.

"O-OKay" Kagome said hesitantly

Ayumi squealed with delight and began to babble about how excited she was to see him again and how the girls would be too.

"Uh, thank you for offering your notes Ayumi they'll be a big help I'm sure, but I have to get going though dinner is on the table." Kagome lied. Why did she lie?

"No problem Kagome, What are friend for?"

Kagome chuckled warmly.

"So I **will** be seeing you tomorrow right?" It was more of a matter of fact tone then a question.

"Of course" Kagome assured.

"Great I'll tell the girls! I'll call you tomorrow with the time!"

Kagome's mother passed her and placed a cup of tea on the small table beside her and walked away silently. "Okay, goodnight"

"Night!"

Kagome hung up and felt a little sullen by the call, it made her realize how un-normal she was not that it was a bad thing but it showed how even though her world has changed so much while everyone back here lives on as they do. It wasn't a matter of unfairness but it left Kagome with an off-putting feeling and now she had to bring Inuyasha for coffee with her friends... great.

"Going out tomorrow dear?" Her mother asked passing by her with a basket of laundry, she had obviously heard part of the conversation.

"Mhm, with the girls to a caffe."

"A caffe?" Her mother said puzzled turning back to her daughter before going towards the stairs "Growing up from Ice cream I see?"

Kagome laughed "Just my thoughts on the matter, but change is good right?"

"Change is good" Mrs. Hirurashi smiled continuing on her way

Kagome smirked reaching up and rubbing one of her ears _'Yeah... change is good'_

"I'm going to have to hide these some how, i cant imagine explaining these to the girls," she said to herself about her ears. Kagome then pulled herself up and took her tea upstairs following her mother.

"...So I let it slip that Inuyasha is here and so I'm going to have to bring him along tomorrow, I can't even imagine how this is going to play out..." Kagome groaned

Her mother laughed heartedly "You make it sound like a bad thing"

"He's just... a hand full to bring into the city"

"I'm sure he will behave himself dear, give him a little more credit"

Kagome sighed "You're right"

They walked to her room and Kagome walked over to the window and peered out to look at the storage shed on the other side of the court yard. "I wonder how Inuyasha's doing?" She said sipping at the steaming green liquid.

"I'm sure the boys are doing fine" Her mother reassures

Kagome hoped that Inuyasha and Grandpa would kiss and make up soon but both men were as stubborn as heck, no doubt Grandpa was giving him passive aggressive comments and making Inuyasha riled.

"You miss his company don't you." Her mother smiled softly towards her daughter admiring the essence of young love in the air.

Kagome blushed "Maybe a little, but if only he could stay quiet while I studied... but I know thats unfair to ask of him."

Her mother simply nodded in agreance and deposited the fresh laundry onto Kagome's bed.

"Thanks mama"

"You're welcome, oh and I also bought you some of those bath salts you enjoy so much dear. I got the light scented ones since you're sensitive to smells now."

Kagome wrinkled her nose at the thought of her first shower when they came back, the smell of the shampoo nearly knocked her out and made her head spin for hours... it wasn't a pleasant experience. "You're the best" Kagome said sitting back down on her desk chair "I was just thinking of taking a bath."

Kagome looked back down to her books and frowned _'I dont want to study.'  
><em>  
>"Dinner wont be ready for another half hour so you have time, would you like me to draw your bath for you?"<p>

"I probably shouldn't-" She sighed sadly

"You have been studying all day dear, it's not very good for your back to sit on that chair for so long. I think a nice relaxing bath will help your nerves." Her mother said with the most sweetest smile Kagome couldn't resist but say yes. Her mother loved to do things for her when ever she came back from beyond the well as if to make up for lost mothering and she loved her mother for that, what would she do without her.

...

Kagome nestled into the relaxing water and relished in the feeling of warmth, and not to mention her sore muscles releasing a lot of her tension. Man, nothing was better than this. She didn't think of much, or didn't want to that is; she wanted to use this time to relax before she had to go back to her sea of home work.

She stayed until her fingers were nearly wrinkled, while going under water to rinse out her hair she accidentally snorted in water through her nose because of the sock she had when some had entered her sensitive ears that she 'forgot' she had. She winced as her sinuses burned from the lightly flavoured water that felt permanently infused with the scent of lavender... great. Kagome stepped out of the tub taking her towel, ruffling her hair dry and attempting to get all the water out of her ears. She walked up to the mirror wiping the moisture away to look into her reflection and looked at her form curiously. She glanced over to her mark on her shoulder that was bearly visible except for some silvery white scars that used to be bigger _'They'er almost gone' _she frowned feeling a strange panic shoot through her. Myoga said it wouldnt be permanent unless she was marked more than once, Kagome didn't understand why though a bite was a bite so it should scar.

_'But Inuyasha never scars remember.'_

She thought for a moment of all thoes times she had bandaged severe and nearly fatal wounds on Inuyasha and yet he never scarred maybe for a short time but it never was permanent. The longest scar she could recall was the one when Sesshomaru impaled Inuyasha through the stomach with his very hand. A shiver went up her spine.

_'I have demon blood too now, would I be able to withstand more severe injuries like Inuyasha?'_

Her gaze quickly went from her shoulder to the curve of her left side.

Her eyes went wide _'It's almost gone too.' _

Her fingers ran over the dark coloured scar where the jewel had been ripped from her body, Kagome had treated it like a birthmark for the longest time knowing then that the ugly thing would stay there for the rest of her life but now the bumps and discolouration were faded, she smiled to herself in the mirror.

That's one scar she wouldn't miss.

Then she realized something as her hand went to touch the marks on her shoulder again, she hadn't had much time to get use to it but the loss was more deep then she expected, a sudden fear and emptiness made her heart clench painfully. Something spoke deep within her _'I want Inuyasha to mark me again.' _she blushed as her thoughts began to imagine the feeling of his fangs grazing her skin then sinking in which shot electricity to her toes, and she bit her lip nervously.

She shook her head and stared at herself, she scrunched her face in a pout _'You're becoming a Hentai just like Miroku, or maybe worse.'_

Kagome couldn't deny that she wanted Inuyasha in a particular way and she knew he wanted it too, in fact she felt as though it were some kind of elephant in the room, sexual tension was it's name and ever since her change there was plenty of that to go around. But wether they wanted to act on it or not Kagome knew that they couldn't, to stay a priestess she had to stay pure... even though she wasn't one anymore... Wait.

Why did she suddenly think that? She wasn't a priestess anymore she could do what she pleased, she and Inuyasha could go further if they truly wanted too. Then she realized something else, Kagome understood something for the first time. Kikyo. All she wanted to do was be with Inuyasha to be a normal woman but couldn't because of her holy powers Kagome was aware that if she still had her powers she couldn't be with Inuyasha in... that way. She blushed, why was she so worried about this... _'Teenagers and their hormones'_ Kagome recalled grandpa saying once.

Closing her eyes she calmed her nerves but the thought of the word 'Sex' popped in un invited.

_'Yup, you're a Hentai.'_ She thought.

She went into her room closing the door behind her and going to her closet she looked for her pyjamas. She rummaged around letting her towel fall so she could reach the top shelf for some clothes, and grabbing the first thing she could she brought down a green matching top and bottom. Kagome sneezes and rubbed her nose from the stinging because her senses were still overwhelmed with the lavender. Another scent invaded her nose, Inuyasha but that was a given, he was in her room all the time but something else that smelt familiar was there, like crackers and milky processed strawberries, like... Pocky? But Kagome never ate in her room.

Her ears went alert and she looked over to the bed when she heard a sudden *snap*

Inuyasha stared at her dumbfounded and with the widest golden eyes, the pocky in his hand crumbling from his clenched fist, one still hanging from his mouth, his body was tense and pressed into the headboard of her bed as if he were trying to escape through it. She stood frozen in shock, his golden eyes struggle to lock onto hers but he couldn't for the life of him, keep on her eyes. His face flooded with red as he 'accidentally' glanced her body up and down in a split second.

She looked down and died a little inside, for she had forgotten that she let her towel astray and now stood in all her glory in front of him.

Her brow twitched _'Did he just...'_

He did it again.

She sucked in her breath.

"Shit" Inuyasha openly cursed his wandering eyes.

Kagome's scream tore through the house.

"GET OUT!" She hollered picking up her towel and pathetically covering herself as quick as she could "OUT!"

"Sorry!" He panicked standing and holding his arm and out as she threw her pyjama bottoms at his face.

"What the hell are you doing in here!"

"I-I broke something in the shed so I ran from the old man before he could get me with the broom and hid up here."

Kagome's eye twitched. She took a deep breath and exhaled eerily calm.

Marching up to him holding her towel firmly in place she grabbed him by the collar, pulling him up from his spot, slid open the window and hauled him out the frame with strenght she didn't know she even had.

"SIT!" she yelled

Inuyasha went face first into the cement court yard below. "That fucking hurt bitch!" He yelled from far below.

Kagome slammed the window hard and slumped to the floor berrying her face into her hands. _'Did that just happen!?'_ she thought frantically her heart racing not sure wether the adrenaline of getting caught naked was what made her feel a little light headed.

The way he had stared at her, completely awed and shocked. How long did he watch her? A minute, two?

How embarrassing! But... the way he stared at her.

"Maybe I shouldn't have thrown him out the window like that." She said to herself then heard her mother call her name from downstairs worryingly she stood again and quickly got dressed.

*** With Inuyasha***

Inuaysha went to the sacred tree to seek solitude.

"Bitch" He mumbled rubbing his sore nose.

_'She's a hell of a lot stronger then I thought she would be.' _He smirked but then it faded. Sure it was an accident that he saw her naked but why did she react so... hostile? He could see her naked whenever the heck he wanted- He blushed. Okay, maybe they weren't 'that' close with each other, yet, but she's let him do things before. His heart beat drummed in his ears as he remembered the time when he confessed his intentions to her in that rundown shack and where that had led them.

_'She stopped me though.'_

Maybe she didn't want him like that... No he's smelt her desire for him more then a handful of times. Wait a minute, she smelt that way when she got into the room! _'What the hell?'_

"Stubborn wench" He growled out loud

He felt suddenly guilty, he couldn't blame her for being modest about her body, hell he was still embarrassed that he had to expose his own body to her when she was freezing to death, and how she saw his... sometimes he would think back to that night. The kiss they shared is what troubled him, he was actually scared of where the heat of that kiss could have gotten them, it all had happened so fast and he had moved with instinct alone.

It was blunt as an old sword, he had never had sex before plain and simple. Half demons don't find mates... they die off or are killed off. But after he reached a certain age Myoga had painstakingly explained the act of it and Inuyasha never asked about it again. He learned over the years by himself, by accident of course, stumbling along the occasional rutting animals, humans and lower demons in the forrest. Human seemed to enjoy fucking each others brains out but Demon mating was a terrifying thing for him to witness at a young age, so carnal and bloody. He had first thought that they were killing each other but the way they had smelled it set his blood on edge, his demon had known instantly and had given him internal signals as to what was truly going on, giving him the right mind to run from it. Because a rutting demon was just as dangerous as an angry demon, if not more.

What if him and Kagome had mated? That notion made him nervous, she could have potentially gotten impregnated and then they would be in trouble.

_'That doctor told me not to mate with her, and Myoga too and old lady Kaede.'_

_**'No need to listen to them, they dont know anything about my bond to Kagome especially the human.'**_

_'OK let's get one thing straight, Kagome can NOT be with child ever! We still have Naraku to defeat.'_

**_'I cannot deny my instinctual need to produce_**_ **offspring'**_

Inuyasha frowned, he didn't want kids. Ever! No way in hell could he even fathom of bringing a child into this fucked up world. It was hard enough to protect Kagome and his friends, but a pup? They were so small and fragile and he couldn't even imagine the loss of a hypothetical child or what that would do to Kagome... would bearing a demon child ostracize Kagome like his mother? Would the village try and kill her too? and would the pup grow up like him, alone and unwanted.

He would never allow that, he would defend Kagome to the death and give his child everything he never had and besides, it would have Kagome as a mother. He started to get lost in his thoughts of a pup. Kami help the child and let it take on after it's mother because he sure as hell didn't have any desirable traits. He pictured a child with long black hair, hazel eyes and no demon traits what so ever because it would be easier. Essentially he desired a human child not because he wouldn't accept a half demon but he would want it to live a stress free and uncomplicated life. _'My pup would be a fighter though'_ he thought but paused _'My pup?'_ He had never really created anything before only destroyed, the thought of making something that belonged to him and only Kagome, created something that would signify their bond was... enthralling.

"No" He said bitterly. A pup is out of the question.

_'But... would Kagome want one?' _his stomach turned

Muddled with his thought he remembered the conversation with grandpa.

_'He want's me to honor her by asking her for her hand in marriage?'_

His stomach turned, he wasnt used to these kind of things, he already had Kagome as a mate, well technically, and that was good enough for him. But was it for Kagome? She is mostly human and has practiced human traditions for her whole life, even though her blood changed he had to remember that she was still human at heart.

Before Kagome or even Kikyo he never thought in a million years that he would have a mate, (Not that he had any time to consider Kikyo for a mate but he did love her enough at one time). He grew up being told he was worthless and not worthy of love and that he could never amount to anything. His fists clenched. He worked so hard all his life to just stay alive he grew to be so distant, hard faced and cold, a 'jerk' Kagome would say but really that was just his own pathetic way of protecting himself. But she helped him bring down his emotional guard that was boosted tenfold after Kikyo had mistakingly betrayed him, but Kagome healed him and showed him he was worth a damn.

His pride suddenly swelled, _'**I** marked Kagome, she's **mine** to keep, **mine** to protect... **mine** to_ _love__.' _

_S_he was his greatest accomplishment, not all the power of the greatest demons could amount to the fact that he had a mate who loved him for what he was let alone who he was, which is a stubborn arrogant jackass.

_**'The mark is fading'**_ his demon reminded him

Inuyasha was about to snap at his inner thought but he realized it was right, he had been feeling their bond slowly disconnect over the last couple of days, nearly unable to read her emotions fully like he had after he marked her the first time.

'_This time though... I need her permission'_ his more humane side commented making his demon snap back with a _**'I don't need permission to reinstate my claim over her.'**_

_**'**No, I need to know for sure if it's what she want's, I need to actually say what I mean. She deserves that much. I never gave her a choice before.'_

His demon growled in disagreement

"Now how the fuck do I tell her?"

"Inuyasha?" A young voice came from below

His ears directed towards the house, He could smell the human boy aproaching with food.

"Hey runt" Inuyasha said over his shoulder

Souta came over by the tree cautiously "I brought you food"

"Thanks"

The boy set the soup on the stone bench and sat down with his back to Inuyasha. "You sure made Kagome mad this time, whad you do walk in on her changing or something?"

"..."

Souta made a face "Gross, you did didn't you!"

"Keh, it was an accident and I was in the room before that wench anyway."

"Aren't you two engaged or something? I thought grown up are allowed to see each other-" Souta stopped, he was still to young and overly embarrassed to bring up topics like this, he couldn't even say the word 'naked' without feeling awkward. "You know..."

"What would you know about that" Inuyasha smirked at Souta's boyishness

Souta kicked some rocks on the ground and said nervously "Well mama says when two people love each other-"

"Ok runt lets not go there" Inuyasha interjected not wanting to hear the sex talk from a 11 year old.

"... So does this mean you're like my big brother now?"

Inuyasha looked down at the young boy sitting below looking back up sheepishly from his question. The half demon smirked, he never thought of that, Souta would technically be family but the word 'brother' stuck. Thinking about his relationship with Sesshomeru made him almost laugh at the word, but Souta was obviously not Sessomeru. Inuyasha did cared for the boy, he had to he was his mates brother, baby brother at that, and this boy idolized him made him feel like a hero or close to that, something humans on his side wouldn't normally consider him as.

"Yeah Kid, were like family I guess." Inuyasha said smiling, he never had a family before.

"Cool" Souta tried to say nonchalant but barely contained his excitement. He cleared his throat and straightened his back trying to look composed "So... as Kagome's only brother and future man of the house I'm obligated to say that if you hurt Kagome I'll have to hurt you worse."

Inuyasha let out a chuckle "I get it runt"

"W-well you better" Souta said trying to sound serious but scratched his head and laughed "I don't sound very threatening to someone who's half dog demon do I?"

"You were plenty threatening kid" Inuyasha smirked

Souta stood up and looked back at Inuyasha "You coming back in?"

"I think I'll wait till the wench cools down a bit"

"Good luck" Souta threw out as he walked back towards the house "And you better eat your dinner before it get's cold."

Inuyasha looked down at the steaming bowl that looked rather appealing all of a sudden, "Keh, you think I can't handle her?"

"Nop!" Souta laughed hurrying back towards the house

"Hey!"

"Good luck big brother!" The boys voice died away into the house

Inuyasha was about to yell back something but smiled instead _'Big brother huh.' _

***Few hours later***

Kagome went outside into the cold wrapping her blue cotton sweater tightly around herself. She could see quite well in the dark thanks to her hightened sences and smelt the familiar scent of Inuyasha drift in the wind. She smiled.

_'He's still in there'_ She thought looking over to the sacred tree, it's branches swaying gently in the breeze.

She had nervously called him in for dinner when her mother asked for him but he didn't come, Kagome knew he was in the tree but she also knew that he heard her so if he wanted to eat he could have easily come in and had dinner, but instead he stayed out here. Her brat of a brother took pity on him and snuck out food for the coward even after Kagome warned him not to, hmmm she still had to figure out a way to get him back for that.

_'He's probably still mad, I should just apologize. I don't have time to deal with a grumpy Inuyasha with all of this studying I have to finnish.'_

Kagome slowly walked over, tiptoeing around the sacred ground. She spotted the empty bowl of food on the stone bench and she smiled.

She stood there for a moment starring up at him curiously wondering how he could make sitting on a not so very wide tree branch look so comfortable

"Hi" she finally said nervously

"Hey"

"I'm sorry for going a little over the top with the subjugation earlier, I was just really... embarrassed."

"Yeah..." He mumbled

"I really am sorry... are you mad?"

"No"

"Did I hurt you?"

"Keh, No"

She frowned at his short answers."Well you sound mad at me."

"Well I'm not..." He said mimicking her tone

Biting her lip she shot out with "You're the one who got an eye full, not me."

_'That was a bit cocky to say wasn't it'_ her thoughts taunted.

"It's wasn't like I did it on purpose" He sputtered

"So you're not going to apologize"

"Why should I apologize? You're the one who should open your eyes, I was sitting right there it's not like I was hiding or somthin!"

"You jerk, I was distracted! You were the one who just stared." She clenched her fists at her sides wanting so badly to say 'sit' but simply turned and began to stomp away "Fine then I'm going back!"

"Kagome?" He suddenly said

She stoped and turned back, her anger subsiding from the tone of his voice, it sounded so small, so... unsure. "Y-yes?"

"I'm s-sorry for... that,"

_'He's actually apologizing?'_

"I-I wont do it again. I just-"

"Like you've never peeped before" she said under her breath

"What?"

"Oh nothing, sorry, you were going to say something?"

"Uh yeah, I- I just been thinking."

There was a long silence, which confused Kagome further. Why was he acting all nervous?

"Thinking about what?"

"Did you... I mean if I could go back and I would have asked you first. Would you have... Fuck this is so hard... would you have said yes?"

Walking back up to the tree she looked up to him, his gaze was trained forward and his face was hard, her brows drew together "What are you talking about?"

"The mark..."

Kagome blinked dumbly still not understanding "What about it?"

"Just- Would you have let me do it?!" He threw out nervously glancing down to her with those molten eyes of his.

"I don't-" she shook her head raising her hand slightly indicating that she still didn't quite get it.

"The mark Kagome! would you have let me do it if I asked?" He snapped

She frowned at his sudden frusteration _'What the heck did I do?'_

"Inuyasha why are you asking me this?"

"I have to know Kagome. I never asked you, you never had a choice... or time to think about it let alone understand what it means or anything! doesn't that bother you?" His voice raised as his emotions were getting the better of him.

"Where is this coming from?"

"Can you just answer the damn question wench." He said annoyed

"No!" She bit back finally fed up with his temper "Not until you come down and tell me what brought this on?"

"Your grandfather said-"

"I cant have a conversation with you up there Inuyasha"

He sighed irritated and jumped down from the branch landing beside her gracefully "The old conjure said I never gave you a choice."

Kagome looked at him for a moment _'Never had a choice?'_ then she growled in frustration "Grandpa" biting her lip in anger "What else did he say to you, I'll have a talk with him."

"It wasn't like that woman, he just made a good point, that I gave you that mark but never asked you for your permission."

"It had to be done Inuyasha, I don't understand why you're making a big deal out of this now." She defended

"You know," He swallowed hard forcing the next words with out showing how uncomfortable the subject was to him, much. "marking you without permission or without intent to mark you as my mate or for the purpose of... pups, it's just as vile as... forcing myself on you..."

She took a moment and stared at him filtering what he just said. _'He doesn't really think that does he?'_ she shook her head and stepped up to him "I don't think you forced yourself on me, I would never feel that way!"

"It's a matter of principle Kagome!" He nearly snapped

She looked away with a confused anger but held it in "So... Is this how you felt about us the whole time?"

"N-No! Well- Kind of... not really. I don't know!" He said exasperated looking up at the tree then calmed a little "I guess I kinda knew that what I did was a wrong, but I was just more glad you were ok, I kinda just pushed it aside... it"

"Inuyasha I would never think of my mark as some kind of violation of my body!" She said with a shake in her voice as the emotions got to her.

He tensed and couldn't look her in the eye.

"Kagome remember when I told you that back when we helped Jinenji, I told you that when I was young I didn't know where I belonged, in the human or demon world and that I thought I had to take what I wanted to have by force... seize a home by force... Kagome you're my home, I've known that since then and I- I took you by force. That part of me I didn't want back... The part of me that was afraid of being alone, I-I'm scared that this will push you away because you'll realize that what happened to you wasn't fair, that I was selfish and..." He cut himself off the intense feeling in his voice threatened to show his escalating fear so he had to stop himself before he all but broke down. He was shaking.

Kagome was put back, 'W_here is this coming from all of a sudden?'_

She had to do something that would convince him she didn't regret anything, she didn't think that he had done something wrong to her. Kagome began to hastily unbutton her night shirt half way and shrugged the collar to lay just past her shoulders but not enough to expose her self since she wasn't quite wearing a bra.

"Wh-What are you doing!" He gasped as she pulled her hair to her left side to her exposed neck line and shoulder to him with the mark right there, fading but he knew exactly where it was even in the darkness, he knew exactly were he needed to bite again, god it taunted his demon.

Going on the tips of her toes to move in closer she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him towards her pressing his mouth to the juncture of her neck. "I have no regrets for anything Inuyasha I understand that this mark makes me yours... forever," She said breathlessly pressing into him harder, the heat between them rising "completely and all of yours to claim."

With the sound of her heart racing in his ears and the throb of her pulse mere inches from his fangs he tensed from the pull within him to take her. His aura surged and he knew that his demon wanted out but he restrained it by death gripping the Tetsuaiga, his other hand clenched to his side unable to determine what it would do, if embraced her back? But he didn't trust himself to.

"You sure about this right now? I'll hurt you." He quivered as his fangs throbbed his eyes unable to steer away from her neck.

His mind was racing. Did she understand what she was doing? She had to! How could she not know that she was fully submitting to him right here, right now? In demon terms for a female to expose her neck... to present it to a male in such a bold way, especially during this season no less was the ultimate surrender of ones body and soul. She knew... right?

Kagome's new instincts had told her that she had to expose her neck, to give herself to him as much as it made her heart race, she wanted nothing more then to make him see her commitment even if she had to take a more bold approach and step out of her comfort zone. She was terrified of what she was doing, she had never thrown herself at a man before, but the more scared she felt the more exhilarating this was becoming.

"You can't hurt me" She smiled wrapping her arms around his neck, one hand bracing the back of his head to press his panting mouth into the juncture of her shoulder. "You'll never be alone Inuyasha, I'll be there for you, you're my home too, and I don't know where else I should be."

Inuyasha's focus faded for a moment from the mark to her loving words that made his throat tighten.

"I love you" She said softly

With that he took her body into his own arms and sunk his fangs into the same area that he had marked before, biting down hard and feeling her sweet warm life fill his mouth.

She gasped squeezing her eyes shut clinging onto him with one arm to keep from falling, though she doubted his hold on her would allow that.

It hurt. Scratch that it hurt a lot more then she remembered it to be but she had been going through a transformation last time and probably was in too much shock to fully be aware of the pain she was really in. But this, right now, fucking hurt. The sharp burning shot into her core and like an weak animal trapped in it's predators fangs the feel of it made her body tense and freeze in place, surrendering her whole self to the inevitable defeat.

Inuyasha held her like that for a moment, attempting to calm down his demon that threatened to surface but he could feel the fire in his veins, he could feel the elongating of fangs and claws, with red speckling his vision.

Kagome gasped as his fangs sunk in deeper into the shoulder and felt his rise in youki.

A low rumble came from his throat in a calm tone that miraculously eased some of her pain. The connection was reforming, the indescribable bond that formed between two mates once again erupted within their very beings with a warm sensation. He could feel a part of Kagome's aura transferring within him and combine with his energy and felt his own do the same to her.

This was so unatrual for his demon to do it this way again, it had pestered him to mate with her for the past few weeks relentlessly but in less than a hour it caved to Kagomes will and marked her without the urge to mate goading his actions. Even in this moment he did not feel any sexual tention or frusteration built behind it's intentions, his demon simply wanted to mark her and that was all. In a strange sence he KIND OF submitted to her since marking her again was her demand, but as much as he wanted to mark her to reenforce his claim, he had been reluctant to do so because he would be bending to her will, demon pride was so insufferable sometimes. His human side on the other hand didn't want to harm her either, he literally held her life by a hair of movement.

He released her shoulder from his fangs that were now dripping with her blood, the droplets falling onto her chest and running down the crease of her cleavage.

Kagome inhaled sharply as the air hit her wound sending a fierce stinging wave of pain across her shoulder, but it was quickly replaced by the feel of smooth heaven as he ran his tongue over the throbbing torn flesh. The ache melted away in a intense feeling of sensual relaxation took over her shoulder, spreading out through her body. Her legs uncontrollably gave way and she was scooped into his arms, he sat her down on the stone bench beside the sacred tree, while he took a knee in front of her.

Her mind finally cleared, she looked down at his bang cover face and realizing he was struggling to breath normally she had just been in too much of a haze to notice until now.

"Are you alright?" She whispered meekly, brushing the hair from his face but she pulled back slightly when she got a glimpse of crimson making him flinch away.

She smiled and gently lifted his chin to look at those deadly eyes of his "Don't hide"

He sniffed a laugh, she was asking if he was ok when he had just bitten the hell out of her shoulder. "Your not affraid?" He asked his voice a little more rougher.

"I could never be afraid of you."

His body relaxed and slowly he leaned in closer his blood red eyes scanning her, she felt overly exposed under his heated eyes. He took the collar of her unbuttoned shirt and looked at the spots of blood that stained it, he pushed it aside slightly to reveal a trail of blood coming from her wound and going between her breasts. He growled low and very suddenly brought his face to her chest and ran his tongue up the trail of blood to the source making Kagome gasp in surprise and shiver.

A blush tinted her cheeks and she fisted her shirt closed, looking over to the house in worry, as his tongue ran along her collar "Inuyasha-"

He stole her breath with a kiss that made her lean back slightly from his body's push, but a hand snaked behind her to pull her forward against him. She clung onto his kimono missing the feel of his mouth and body against hers, she had been wanting to say or do something about it for days but she was too shy to even dare admit that she wanted more.

He had been wanting to do this for days as well but out of respect for Kagome and for her family he held back his urges to kiss his mate and was getting thoroughly agitated by it. This was like sweet release. Inuyasha pulled away much to her chagrin and leaned his forehead against hers "Thank you" he whispered.

She could feel the heat of his words "Mhm" was all she could get out.

"Kagome... I have something to ask you"

She began to button up her shirt "Yes?"

"I uh-" He stammered.

She raised a brow and tilted her head curiously at him she opened her mouth to say his name worryingly but he then locked onto her eyes and gave the most determined stare. She suddenly felt the turn of butterflies within her stomach, different emotions seemed to swirl in those golden eyes hiding a secret that made her heart race with his. Beginning to feel uncomfortable with the silence she decided to say what she was thinking.

"Speak your mind Inuyasha because I can't read it."

"Miroku and Sango" He blurted

"Miroku and Sango? what about them?"

His hands were clammy "Miroku asked her something... a while ago."

_'Why is he acting so funny?' S_he thought as she noticed him squirm slightly. "When?"

"That time by the river... after we saved that village of women being possessed by that demon in the lake"

Then it clicked "Oh, you mean when he proposed?"

"Yeah... that"

Then the word **proposed **rung in her head like a bell, she remembered Inuyasha mentioning a talk with grandpa and she then she stopped breathing. His nervousness, his odd hot and cold mood, the submission and the new mark... was he trying to... No, that couldn't be it.

"Kagome, do you want- I mean your human right-" he paused palming his face feeling ridiculous at the comment since Kagome was obviously NOT human anymore and so he struggled out "I mean, used to be."

Kagome gave him a sympathetic look but couldn't help but let out a little chuckle, Inuyasha was acting so odd but he was trying so hard to say what he meant, and unfortunately he is failing miserably. Kagome couldn't help but think it was adorable.

"Are you laughing at me wench?" He growled from behind his hand

She bit her lip and shook her head "NO! No, I'm sorry, go on."

He took a deep breath and looked her in the eye "What I'm trying to say is... Kagome. Will you- uh" His face went so red and he could barely get out the words "Will you- bearmychild?!"

Kagome blinked a few times. Inuyasha forced out the last few words so quick she had to think _'Did he just ask me to bare his-'_ Her jaw uncontrollably dropped slightly, slowly her face looked like she would go into shock but then her lips twisted and she suddenly tossed her head back letting out a howl of laughter.

Inuyasha's face dropped and he stared at her as if she had just gone mad.

She tried to calm herself but each time she thought the fit of laughter would end she would start again.

His cheeks burned from anger and embarrassment "Whats so funny!?" he demanded

Tears were forming in her eyes as she was losing air.

"Fucking hell Kagome I'm being serious!"

She held her stomach in pain as the laughing died down.

Inuyasha stood abruptly and started walking towards the well house.

"No wait" she choked "I'm sorry please come back" she said trying to settle herself realizing that her rather bizarre reaction was upsetting him. "Please come back... and si- I mean come just back."

He growled more at the fact that she almost let the subjugation slip but he grudgingly accepted the apology, satting by her crossing his arms and refusing to look at her.

She straightened herself and wiped the tears in her eyes "I'm sorry I know you're being serious I just can't help but think it's funny."

"Kagome" He growled

"Well this isn't something you would normally say so it's kinda weird. The only time I've really ever heard those words come out of someones mouth is from Miroku" She struggled to suppress a laugh. "Besides dumby don't you think me practically throwing myself at you and letting you mark me again means anything at all in that thick head of yours?"

"Of course I know what it means!"

"Then whats with all of this?"

"I-uh-"

She chuckled again

"Hey bitch I'm not good at these things, so quit laughing!" he said reaching over and flicking one of her ears.

"Ouch, that hurt you jerk!" She wined as she reached out and flicked his ears back

He growled low, his demon not accepting her act of defiance. He huffed out in frustration "This isn't what I was expecting"

Kagome rolled her eyes and took his hands into hers grabbing his full attention and smiling at him warmly.

"Yes" she accepted

He blinked feeling so many emotions roll off her aura caressing his in a gentle spark "You mean-"

Kagome flushed and nodded meekly, her stomach fluttered uncontrollably as the feeling set in _'He... He just proposed and I said yes'  
><em>  
>He smiled back actually smiled. Kagome only ever caught him smiling once in a blue moon and he was smiling for her.<p>

She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him close.

"Do I really have to repeat myself?" she said nose to nose

His stunned silence makes her smirk, "Yes, and Yes a hundred times more."

He couldn't help but give her a cocky grin "Good, You're mine anyway"

Kagome chucked "Then why all that?"

That made him flush a little "I just thought you deserve to be asked since the old man pointed it out." he pouted.

She smiled half rolling her eyes '_Same ol Inuyasha'_

But his cockiness quickly disappears when he nervously asked "I thought you deserved to be asked too I just don't know how to word these kinds of thing ok... but when you say yes, you mean to _everything _right?"

"You mean to... bare your child?" she blushed sitting back and twiddling her fingers

'_That's just how they ask to be engaged in his time Kagome it's not like he wants to jump in bed with you.'_

"I mean to be mine... forever. This isn't something you can back down from"

She feels a spark of anger by his questioning "You keep thinking I'm going to run or something"

"Kagome" He says deeply making her look into his eyes "I just don't want you to doubt me, again."

She relaxes and sighs "I won't ever doubt you again Inuyasha, you're my mate and I am yours."

"Good, and that how it should be"

"But when you say to bear your child do you mean..." she shyly trailed off

"We'll talk about that one day, not now." He mumbled embarrassingly looking away from her "I just used the line the pervert used... I'm not used to human traditions, his seemed to work on Sango."_  
><em>

_'One day?'_ she put hand and on a burning cheek, _'One day?'_ her head spun. Inuyasha actually hinted that they would ONE DAY have children.

"O-Ok" She blushed

"Kagome..."

"Yes?"

"I love you."

She blushed and smiled sweetly at him "I love you too."

He took her into his arms kissing her, his fingers tangling in her wild hair and she too clung to his kimono needing him to be even closer to her. Maybe it was because of their re-connected bond but the feel of his warmth against her didn't make her shy away it made her cling closer to his aura wanting it to consume her, she even threw the worry of being caught into the wind. When they separated dawn was setting in and Kagome bent her head under his chin, to try and hide her elation. Running her finger tips over her plumped lips.

"We barely got any sleep" Kagome commented looking up at the sky.

He stared at her with a small smile, loving how simple she looked,just looking up at the fading stars with a light sense of awe glinting in her eyes.

"No I guess we didn't" He said fanning his hand over the mark on her shoulder, her skin already healing but still inflamed.

She shivered slightly at the light caress.

"I'm sorry if it hurts you" He suddenly jumped

"What? Oh no it didn't- well it kinda did hurt at first but when you-" she blushed "licked it, it felt better then."

He gave her a toothy grin "really" and purposely ran his tongue across a fang wether it was to entice her or teas her she didn't care because it made her heart race.

_'Just by that she's getting excited?' _He thought curiously, did he dare to test this further? He suddenly heard the twittering of the first morning birds

'_Damn it's sunrise already'_

"C'mon wench you need to sleep" He sighed softly carrying her towards the house and flying to her window in one swift leap.

Inuyasha crawled into the room and laid Kagome on her bed gently and he took a position sitting on the bed beside her leaning against the wall.

Kagome stared at him for a moment _'Should I ask if he'd like to lay with me?'_

He caught her stare "What?"

She buried her hands in her face and squirmed shaking her head to herself _'What am I thinking, that sounds so wrong, what would he think_!'

"You ok Kagome?" he quirked looking at her strangely

She stopped her slight rocking _'Think of something else, think of something else!... oh wait, yes!'_

"Um Inuyasha I almost forgot I have a favor to ask of you"

He didn't quite like her pleading tone, he just knew he wasn't going to like what she's going to ask "...What is that?"

"Would you mind coming out with me and my friends tomorrow?"

"Those loud girls right, Yuki, Ayume, and Eeri?" He asked

"Yuka, Ayumi and Eri" she corrected

He made a disgruntled sound, "You want me to go into the city don't you."

"Just for a little bit, I'll buy you some ramen if you behave"

"Keh, what is that supposed to mean?" He growled at the word 'Behave', he wasn't some pup she could lecture.

"Oh nothing" she said innocently

"Keh, yeah fine wench I'll go, but not for too long, Okay?"

"I'm guessing your wanting to head back to the other side soon huh?"

"We need to set out and find Naraku"

Kagome sighed, nothing was perfect.

"Ok, we'll leave in two nights, right after my tests." She yawned

"Fine" he sighed crossing his arms and leaning his head back onto the wall to rest his eyes.

"Inuyasha?"

"Hn?"

Kagome was slowly drifting off to sleep as well "Will you... I mean would you like to... lay beside me..."

He looked down at her rather surprised "You want me to lay with you?"

"Mhm..."

He looked at her confused and was about to ask her again but he realized she was already passed out. He smiled and gently laid down next to her small body, careful not to disturb her he snaked his arms around Kagomes waist and drew her into his chest inhaling her scent and he closed his eyes and drifted off.

...

***Western Forest***

Constantine Walked through the dense path unscathed by the dangers that may lurke in the darkness, his amber eyes glistened in the pitch black night, the sliver of moon light could barley pierce through the thick branches that hung low, whispers could be heard in the hollows of the trees and the further he ventured the louder they got. The sound was overwhelming as if he were in a cave with a thousand screaming beings all trying to ward him off, others would have fled from the terrifying sounds but he pressed on. He soon as he reached a small clearing it all suddenly stopped with a dead silence. He walked out into the mossy stone and towards a waterfall with a eeirly calm pond.

He stopped just shy of the water and stared at the figure in the midst of the raging falls.

It stood, the water rushing down parting by an unseen force. Out stepped a Demon Woman robed in all white coming out from the pit of the falls, her first step above the water sent ripples across the pristine pond and she seemingly floated over the water as she came towards the Demon Lord slowly.

She could easily be mistaken for a goddess descending from the moon lit heavens of the sky approaching with an elegant aura. Her skin pale as snow and her demon marking etched all across her body in swirling vines of green except for her bewitching passive face, the only sign of her demon heritage was a jagged star on her forehead and pointed ears riddled with gems and one long earring chained to a small jade stone. Her piercing green eyes sparkled in the moonlight as she brushed her wet ashy coal hair away, hair that past her waist and down her body like silk nearly touching the water.

"Lord Constantine" Her light voice caressed as she stepped onto the shore, curtly bowing as she passed him. She casually shrugs off her wet kimono and glided towards some dry robes resting on a boulder, "And to what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?"

Constantine bowed his head greeting her back "Lady Sana-hori"

"Shall we cut the formalities Constantine" She smiled disrobing and sitting on a boulder stroking at her long hair.

Not fazed by the demoness's nudity he turned to her, his face calm and collect. "You have been out here for over a century pup, do you not wish to come back to the western castle?"

She flashed her green eyes at him and crossed a leg "I have no need for that cage you call a kingdome"

Constantine chuckled "You never did well behind stone walls, I suppose you do belong out here with the earth... much like you're father"

Momentary emotions flashed across her face but she hid it by turning her back to him and putting on her dry garments consisting of a long flowing midnight blue kimono that nearly camouflaged her in the darkness.

"I was trained to control both dark and living energy, there is no life within those stone walls, though I'm sure you did well to rebuild the council all those years ago and created you're little idealistic clan, I however still prefer it out here in the elements."

"Your gift is special Sana I'm surprised the elders allowed you to leave."

"Allowed?" She laughed "Like those old fools couldn't stop me, besides my powers surpassed their control over two hundred years ago."

He smirked and nodded "So like your mother"

She sat back on the rock and looked at him puzzled. "So are you here to talk of my late parents or here to ask me of something?"

"Patients Sana" He teased talking slow calculated steps examining the demoness who in turn did not take her eyes off him. "I've been hearing rumours that a demon spirit has been roaming the lands healing the sick and bringing good fortune... would you know anything of this?" He asked curiously

"Famine has been ravaging the land lately" she said simple and flat "We are all created from the same earth are we not?"

"That we are,"

"Do you disapprove of mine helping the humans?"

"No... Reminds me of an late friend."

"Good" Her eyes brightened "I've always had a curiosity about the humans much like the late Lord, how durable yet fragile they are and their life energy. In fact he was the one who introduced me to my first human."

Constantine looked off into the distance lost in his thoughts.

_'Izaioy'_

"So what is you're true reason for coming to me Constantine, not that I don't enjoy you're visit but theres no need to beat around the bush, surely you wan't something from me, or of me."

He looked at the young demoness and his face became stiff, free of emotion. "You should know why I'm hear, I'm sure you've heard from you're... sources."

She brushed her hand upon the rock she sat, closed her eyes and concentrated "Yes I have heard from the trees, a shift had occurred and the air is not balanced that has put me on edge... it concerns you aswell."

"Naraku, does the name sound familiar?"

Sanas eyes flashed open.

"As I thought. It has come to my attention that his presence in this world has over lapsed it's welcome" Constantine said

"Yes I know of that abomination, he has the majority of the Sacred jewel that woman foolishly created."

"Do not speak of Midoriko with such disrespect pup." He commanded

She looked at him curiously and said "Forgive me if I spoke out of term my Lord." in a not so forgiving way.

He glared at her.

"So Naraku..." she said

"Yes, His power is unprecedented and grows stronger by the day, he threatens every being on this land I can no longer ignore this pest."

"You travel on your own accord then? I assume the other Lords do not see him as a concern, most of them don't care about the security of their own kin let alone their own, gods they thing they are. "

His face grew dark "They are all fools, all to proud to admit that Naraku as surpassed what they expected and now they simply ignore him and allow him to run rampant in our lands, its deplorable... I on the other hand will not allow this any longer."

"But you are not the one who can or will defeat him" She said standing "You know this."

They stared at one another for a long moment.

"You're eyes..." She commented coming closer to him and taking his chin to focus on his eyes. "They've seen the future... a dangerous endeavour my lord a foolish one no less." she hissed roughly letting go of him.

His eyes flashed red but he did not move from his solid spot "Don't you patronize me pup, My mate gives me enough of that."

"And I am sure she does. Well then out with it."

"... Totosai came to me with a jewel, not of the Shikon no Tama but of the Tetsuaigas adamant and other objects collected from another, for the girl to regain her former spiritual powers."

"I can't believe that old sword maker is still alive" She said surprised "But Tetsuaiga? The sword forged from the former Lord to protect Lady Isaioy. Hmmm, then when you say _girl_ you speak of Inuyasha's mate, do you not?"

He raised a brow to her "So you have been keeping up..."

"You would be surprised what the winds and earth can tell you Constantine, you just need to get in touch with you're spirit more" She smirked

He frowned slightly

"So... She is demon now?" Sana said

"Yes, and her powers are necessary to destroy Naraku."

Her eyes sparked with interest "A priestess turned demon, how fascinating. presumably she is only half or she would be dead."

"Indeed, Lady Kagome had gathered quite a reputation in the villages to the east, the majority of demon clans know of her power. But her recent transformation was... little more then a surprise."

"So Totosai?"

"Ah yes, he has made a stone for the girl in hopes that the piece of the Tetsuaiga imbedded into it will hold back what demon blood she has interfering with her spiritual path."

"It is blocked you say?"

"From what Myoga has informed me of her spiritual powers have fully disappeared."

"One born with divine powers does not simply just lose their ability, demon blood or not. It is being held back and that can be dangerous for those around her and deadly to her."

"You need not worry, plans have been set into motion."

"You yourself have have changed everything... you realize this? The future will not play out the same as you've seen now but I'm sure that is the initial plan."

"Their fates need to be changed I can not fail Inuyasha like I have before."

"Inuyasha will have nothing to do with you Constantine, what makes you think you can obtain his mate for you're _plan_?"

"Oh they will come, I can be quite persuasive."

"You wan't to change her fate then." She sighed "You know what price will be paid for that Constantine and although you may not want to hear it you're an even bigger fool for thinking all will go unscathed."

"She and Inuyasha are the chosen ones and I will not let them fall."

"Constantine... no matter what you do there must be balance in this shift you have created. Someone will lose their life and now the odds are ever more not in this girls favour... But, it's not the girl you're entirely focused on am I right?"

"Inuyasha will be my responsibility"

She looked at him with sympathy "Constantine what happened back then... it was a different time. You couldn't have done anything more for him."

"I require an answer Sana"

The demoness sighed knowing the Lord would not speak more of the past so she sighed and dismissed it "So you wish for me to train her to control her dark powers?"

"And her pure energy"

Sana chuckled "And what makes you think I can do such a thing? Pure miko energy is much stronger than the living energy that I use from the earth."

"But it is based on the same principles is it not?"

Sana frowned "If I didn't know any better I'd say you're trying to get me killed."

"Nonsense I wouldn't have asked you to take on this task if I didn't think you couldn't succeed."

"And if I fail?"

"You will not"

"Oh? and was this shown to you in you're tainted foresight."

He glared at her

She simply crossed her arms and leaned back "I suppose I have no choice but to say yes. I am foreseen to do so, so should I not honour what my fate is?" she says with an unimpressed air "but I cannot promise success."

"Very well then I will be off" He announces satisfied with the answer.

"And what will you have me do until then?"

"I need you to locate you're mate."

Sana now looked at him curiously "You dare speak of _**him**, _after I agree to help you_._"

"He is apart of this plan Sana, I need you to by any means bring him to the castle."

"And if I refuse this?"

"I give you no choice Sana" He said sternly

Now she looked cross "The future is always changing Constantine, you do not let them fulfil their paths on their own and that may be the ultimate demise. why get in the way?"

He looked up at the nearly moonless sky and said nothing.

"Have you no faith in Inuyasha?"

"Do not mistake my intervening as ill faith Sana" He said sternly looking back at her. "The girl needs you to help control her powers or she will die before her time and we cannot have that."

"What makes you so sure you can make the outcome different."

"Her powers will help connect to Inuyasha's blood, he needs her to be in control or he himself will lose everything."

"His demon blood is-"

"Yes Myoga had come to me concerned about Inuyasha's demon, apparently hes been having trouble controlling it."

"Myoga? Can't he help train him to suppress it?"

"Suppress it, no that's not what the boy needs, he needs to train to live with it, to control it. Because if it is not changed it means war, and it will be a war with many losses."

"Death is inevitable to those it is coming to" she said eyeing him

"Like you said Sana the future is always changing."

Sana gave a curt nod.

"Bring him on the third half moon," He turned from her and flew into the air but not before saying "and you will not fail me Sana."

"Understood" She said to herself watching as the demon lord vanished into the black sky.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"You're a fool Constantine" She whispered, looking into the water where the moon is a sliver of light, the reflection ripples but she doesn't need it to be clear for it to remind her of a demon with a similar mark upon his forehead. "We will see eachother soon my mate, my Seshomaru."

...

*** The Next Day ***

Kagome winced as she pinned her ears down with hair clips. The distinct 'Click click' ringing in her ears right before the world became a muffled mess.

"Why are you doing that?" Inuyasha frowned from the window cill, wincing inside as he felt sympathy pain for her ears.

She fixed her freshly curled hair and ruffled it about to overlap her flattened ears and the area of skin where her human ears should have been were securely covered. She looked in the mirror looking side to side at her reflection and she smiled.

"Kagome?"

"There," She smiled satisfied with her work

"Kagome..."

She continued to pick at her hair and reached for the hair spray which proved to be a bad idea, Inuyasha sneezed profusely as the smell of hair spray nearly knocked him out, Kagome had more seance to simply breath from her mouth but sneezed a few times anyway.

"Kagome!"

"Hmm?" she said turning to him "Sorry did you say something Inuyasha?"

He rolled his eyes at her "Idiot you can barely hear anything with you're ears hidden like that."

"Well I can't go around with dog ears now can I" She said simply while she straightened out her light yellow blouse making sure the collar was buttoned to the top to hide the mark.

She turned and looked at her back side in her jeans through the mirror as a habbit of making sure her bum looked decent in the pants and caught Inuyasha watching her curiously. She blushed under his heated gaze, since last night he couldn't stop staring at her and not to mention kept as close as he possibly could, Kagome rather enjoyed the attention but how long would that last before he became too overbearing like last time, she just decided to try to enjoy the high of their re-enstated bond before that time came.

Inuyasha didn't even realize just how intensely he was starring at his mate, but he had never seen Kagome's hair so curly. He was curious about her magic rod that gave off a an intense heat like fire but never burned and how it kept her hair in that shape. He couldn't say that he didn't like it, in fact he rather liked it a lot it made her look more sultry and wild like.

"Just wear one of these things." He said tugging at his hat

"We both can't wear a ball cap going out, it'll look weird" She laughed

"Says who?"

"I do"

"Keh," He sniffed a laugh "Women care too much about what they look like"

"Well if we didn't look good men wouldn't want us." she said

Inuyasha eyed her "What men are you trying to attract wench, you got me."

Kagome blushed, Inuyasha has been pointing out all morning that she's his, it must be the re-enstated bond. "I-I know. But can't I look nice... for you?

Inuyasha blinked _'For me?'_

"Keh" He huffed crossing his arms and looking away "You look fine the way you always do" he mumbled.

_'His way of giving a compliment'_ she thought with a smile

"Here, mama picked these out for you" Kagome said hopefully handing him a bundle of clothes

He took the clothes and frowned, "Whats this for?"

"Uh, for going out" kagome said trying to act normal about it.

"Whats wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Nothing... this'll make you blend in better, unless you wan't unwanted attention?"

"Keh. No way wench I aint putting those on."

"Please Inuyasha you'll look nice and it'll be less hot outside for you." She begged with bright eyes leaning closer to him.

He blushed "Keh"

"Thanks Inuyasha!" She beamed "Souta can help you get dressed while I get ready"

She practically shoved the clothes into his arms, lightly pecking a kiss on his cheek and skipped out of the room to the bathroom.

He stood there dumb founded

_'Pushover'_ His thoughts teased

"Fucking hell."

Kagome walked nervously beside him, hands clasped together in front of her as they walked down the street going towards the city.

She looked at him from the corner of her eye as he walked with a slightly annoyed face shaded by a black baseball cap, his arms crossed showing his displeasure and broadening his arm muscles in his red T-shirt. He walked a little awkwardly, just enough for Kagome to notice, He wasn't enjoying his black knee-length board shorts and ESPEICALLY not the sneakers.

'_He looks so...'_

_'Handsome!'_ A voice in her screamed making her blush

_'Maybe more uncomfortable?_

_'... No. Handsome.'_

She bit her lip and gave into her curiosity, she discretely slowed her pace so he was a step ahead to admire his legs. She had never really seen his legs this long before they were tinted with silver hairs that could barely be seen in the sun light and were magnificently toned, all the running he does really showed... or was it his nartual Demon physic? what was it about him being in regular clothes that made him so much more attractive? Well, what ever it was he looked good.

He hated this, his toes pinched in these god damn shoes, his legs were cold and he didn't care for the fabric of the 'Boxers' Souta called them, rubbing against his junk. He didn't like that he had to keep the Tetsuaiga behind either, he didn't trust Kagome's side, he didn't know what kind of danger lurked here and the Bitch had the audacity to ask him to cut his nails, thats where he drew the line.

He did find little solace knowing that Kagome was blatantly checking him out, not even realizing the kinds of signals and scents she was giving off. At first when he noticed her staring at him he almost lashed out with at 'What you staring at wench!' but that was just because he felt annoyed at how exposed his body felt. But that look in her eye, he knew what it meant. His mate was eyeing him as prey, something he had done enough times to Kagome to recognize the distinct look of hidden lust.

Just has he was going to make a sly comment about her starring, his ears perked and he directed his glare forward.

A group of human males were approaching and he slowed his pace down to Kagome's fall back, nearly startling her when he brushed up against her arm firmly because she was so lost in her thoughts.

He glared at them as they all horsed around, hollering and laughing, his demonic aura flaring defensively as if there were a coming danger. There were three of them.

The taller one smacked the two others and pointed towards the half demon couple or more so, Kagome.

Kagome noticed it too, rolling her eyes and thinking 'really_' _as these boys looked her up and down like she was a piece of meat, well she was just doing it to Inuyasha not but a moment ago, she looked away ignoring there blatant advances. A feeling in her wanted to scoff in disgust, probably from her small demon side. Kagome was getting used to feeling a different force within her that made her think differently sometimes, different in a more instinctual way then automatic human responses, she found herself to be a little more moody then which making her regretfully admit that maybe Inuyasha's bad attitude wasn't all his fault and that MAYBE it was partially due to his demon blood... She would never admit that to him though. Right now her demon side was rejecting their attention and slightly leaning more towards Inuyasha.

_'How rude, can't they see I'm clearly with Inuyasha.'_

A vicious growl cut through the air making Kagomes hairs stand on end, she even notice the expression of the boys falter and look over to the sour faced Inuyasha glaring at them. The boys purposely evaded their path and walked onto the road to keep a safe distance from the clearly pissed half demon who even craned his neck back as he eyed them with a deadly glare.

"Cut it out Inuyasha they're gone" Kagome said nudging him

"They shouldn't have fucking looked at you like that," He growled. His voice was rough, he uncrossed his arms and stopped abruptly. She noticed his rise in youki before seeing his claws grow more deadlier and her heart leapt at the sudden tense aura.

"Inuyasha" She gasped stopping to take his arms and coming in front of him. "What's wrong, are you-"

She froze, his eyes were red and his fangs were showing. She looked around in a panic hoping that no one was close or coming towards them again. The block they were going down was relatively empty, the other side had a few people walking and there was an old woman in a walker slowly making her way towards them from behind Inuyasha.

_'He transformed so quickly!' _She thought in shock

Taking the front of his hat and tipping it to shadow his face she stepped closer to him trying to make it look like they were just having an intimate moment.

"It's ok Inuyasha they were just some kids, you know how boys can be. In this time they're a little more forward then in your time" She whispered trying to but that didn't seem to calm him down. "Unless it's Miroku." She tried to joke, but it wasn't acknowledged.

He cracked his knuckles and hissed darkly "I should rip their throats out for even looking at my mate."

Kagome was panicing now, she knew it was a bad idea to take Inuyasha out but she never thought this would happen! Now she was dealing with a very transformed, very pissed Inuyasha in broad daylight in modern tokyo... this wasn't going to end well.

"Inuyasha you need to calm down, please, they're gone." She pleaded

But he just cut her off a growl as he noticed the old woman coming into range.

She didn't think her panic could get any higher, she had to calm down it was just fuelling his agitation, she straightened up and in a low commanding tone "Stay still or I swear I will subdue you into oblivion right here, right now."

He snarled at her but she held her ground glaring right back at his blood red eyes.

Kagome held her breath as the old woman inched past them with her walker for what seemed like an eternity of time because Inuyasha's patience was very slim at the moment. The old woman smiled to Kagome and Kagome bowed politely, Inuyasha growled startling the elder and she made a face at him and shufled along quicker. Kagome flashed him an angry glare but there was no beating his red eyes, glassed over with pent up frustration. As soon as the old woman passes to a safe distance Kagome finally breathed. "Inuyasha you have to calm yourself, you're going to scare everyone."

"You said you weren't afraid," He growled sensing her panic

"I'm not, but Inuyasha you can't be seen like this, people here won't understand like I do." She whispered stroking the lines on his cheek.

_'She's right calm down!'_ a voice within screamed.

His pulse throbbed in his ears, **_'I must protect my claim_**_**!'**_

_'She's right humans here wont understand, now back off, you're making her anxious!'_

His demon growled within in an annoyed kind of way.

He took deep breaths trying to calm his anger.

Suddenly he felt lips on his, soft and gentle as the arms wrapping around his neck closed him in. When had Kagome gotten so close?

He closed his eyes for a long moment, her contact somehow subduing his rattling mind screaming to kill, _KILL, KILL! _When he finally opened them, pulling away from the kiss and looked down more lucidly at his mates relieved expression, taking a breath. His burning blood subsided and he realized his surrounding, looking around, his ears fussing under the bandana as he became more alert, he wondered why he felt this sense of panic and danger, why did he suddenly feel a lust for blood? He wanted to kill those boys, everything screamed for the satisfaction of it, to tear into them with his very claws and feel their blood dripping off his fingers. He looked down to Kagome with a horrified expression, has she sensed his bloodlust?

"Kagome..."

"It worked once so I thought I'd see if-" She trailed off bashfully

_'Shes still not scared of me'_ He sighed with relief

"I almost lost it didn't I?" He said with a dry mouth

She nodded and took his hand "You feeling alright? should we go back?"

Inuyasha ran his other hand up his face and growled "What's happening to me?"

"Maybe Myoga will have more answers for us when we go back?" She said sympathetically rubbing his arm to comfort him.

_'I should have let him bring the Tetsiauga' _She scolded herself

"Let's go" He said

Her eyes looked panicked "Wait what? We need to go back home!"

"Your friends are waiting for you wench so come on"

"A-Are you sure? Do you feel well enough to go?"

"I'm not sick wench"

_'Besides I don't think my demon will let me leave you're side right_ now.'  
><em><br>_"Inu-"

"Quit worrying wench so let's keep moving" He said taking her hand and pulling her along

_'How can he be so calm about this when he just transformed without so much as a confrontation or drop of blood?'_ She thought looking down his hands clasped around her loose fingers. _'its like hes trying so hard to ignore it for me'_

he just looked forward ignoring her worried expression and the nagging concern of her aura trying to comfort his distress. Kagome knew he wouldn't bring it up right now so she pushed back her worrying for now and took stride with him, adjusting her grip to intertwine her fingers with his.

He noticed and side glanced at their joining hands with a smirk but didn't say anything about it and just squeezed back.

...

"KAGOME!" Yuka, Eri and Ayumi all squealed in delight as she stepped into the small caffe. They all practically tackled her to the floor with hugs.

"We missed you!"

"I missed you guys too" Kagome chuckled

After they gushed on how well Kagome looked and commented on her hair and clothes their eyes all fell onto Inuyasha who tried to slink away from the loud girls. They instantly bombarded him with questions like, when he got into town, how he had been and what he had been up to, all questions he never got to answer because more questions were asked on top of the other. When they finally settled down Kagome and Inuyasha were introduced to _the boyfriends_ Yuka's boyfriend named Shone, Ayumi's- Haro and Eri's- Quan.

"So you're the rebel boyfriend" Shon said shaking Inuyasha's hand

"Uh, yeah" Inuyasha said confused glancing over at Kagome with a curious eye and she just shrugged innocently.

"Oh Kagome we have so much to catch up on" Eri said to her

"Let's go get a table" Yuka said "You boys will be fine together right?"

"Yeah, sure were just gunna chill over there while you girls talk about us" Haro said poking as Ayumi

"Umm" Kagome spoke looking at Inuyasha worryingly

"Aww you don't want to part from you're Inuyasha" Eri giggled

Kagome flushed _'My Inuyasha?'_

"It's just..."

Though Inuyasha didn't want her to go too far he figured he'd rather stay with the men than the chattering women "Keh, you think I can't behave by myself wench?" Inuyasha smirked

"No, no I... Trust you."

"Then it's setteld!" Ayumi said pulling Kagome away

Kagome couldn't protest even if she wanted to.

Inuyasha smirked and then turned to the guys who all started walking to a booth not to far on the other side of the shop, grimaced at the strong aroma in the air, he had never smelt it before.

"Hey want a cappochino?" The one called Shon asked to Inuyasha

"A cappa-what?" Inuyasha said bemused

"You've never had one?" Haro said sounding surprised

Inuyasha frowned and shied away as all the guys looked at him strangely "No" he grumbled

"I'll get you one, I'll pay" Shon said walking up to the teller.

"So Inuyasha what do you do?" Quan asked

Inuyasha looked to the stocky build boy with ashy brown hair, he seemed fairly laid back an arm sprawled across the booth and he chewed on a small stick between his lips.

"What do I do?" the half demon asked back confused

"School, work, that sort of thing."

At just hearing the word 'school' he spat "Feh school is stupid"

"Drop out eh, yeah I dropped out in my senior year and went on to working under my Uncles fishing company. So you work then?" Haro said, he was the taller of the bunch but looked lanky, his sunglasses hid his small beady eyes but we gave off a mysterious persona.

"Yeah"

"Not a talker are ya" Quan commented

Inuyasha shrugged "Not really"

"So work?" Haro prodded in a curious way

Inuyasha thought for a moment _'Work? I don't fucking work... well I guess-'_

"Extermination" Inuyasha said thinking that would be the best answer because he could say that he out right kills demons for a living

"Like rodents and vermin?"

"You could say that?" He smirked "I prefer to hunt though."

"Hunt?" Haro said then chuckled slightly "Big or small game?"

"Big, mostly big" Inuyasha said quite enjoying the conversation now

"You're not some kind of bounty hunter are you" Quan joked

Inuyasha simply smirked thinking of hunting down Naraku for all the shit he's done to him and his friends.

The two human sat up with interest "Really you hunt down people who owe debts?"

"More like _things_ that harm others"

The boys seemed confused by his answer.

"Like criminals?" Quan said with interest "Life for the FBI?"

Inuyasha didn't know what what was "FBI?" but he shrugged trying to be vague.

"You an assasin?" Shon suddenly cut in sitting by Inuyasha hearing small bits of the conversation while he got drinks.

"Close enough" Inuyasha shrugged not realizing how it may sound since death and killing were a frequent part of his life.

Shon placed one steaming cup in front of Inuyasha who looked at it curiously, he leaned in and sniffed it.

"What are you a dog or something, try it" Shon laughed taking a sip of his cappochino

Inuyasha snuffed and was about to say something but figured they didn't need to know that detail of him.

"So assassin Inuyasha eh? You work for the government or something" Haro continued

"Something," Inuyasha said meaning to be vague, they didn't need to know more they had there answer.

"Ever kill a man?" Haro asked

Inuyasha glared over to the human male, they were asking to many questions for his liking now. He didn't like to remember the fact that he actually **had** killed humans before.

"Can't say anymore can you" Quan pouted

"Naw, I'd have to kill you"

The men laughed

They continued to talk for a while, the men talked about their lives, work, friends and such and Inuyasha listened giving his pice every so often. Then the conversation went somewhere that Inuyasha wasn't comfortable with.

"...Yuka does this thing thats phenomenal, that girl know how to use her mouth if you know what I mean"

"Don't" Inuyasha let slip out when he meant to think it. He had been slipping in and out of the new topic focusing his attention on Kagome half a room away. Watching as she smiled at what ever her friends said and laughed heartedly.

"A blow job? Has Kagome let you?"

Inuyasha frowned coming back to the mens conversation_ 'Blow job what the fuck is that?'_

"I don't know"

"You don't know what a blow job is do you!?" Haro said aghast

"I do" he said stubornly lying through his teeth "Kagome... let's me all the time."

"Really? I have to beg Ayumi to even consider it."

Quan looked at him suspiciously and smirked "So how is Kaomge, does she give good head?"

"Head?"

"He's totally lying" Haro said slyly

"Your kidding right?" Shon chuckled

Inuyasha frowned sinking into the booth

The others laughed at him.

"You mean you never gotten** it** from Kagome before?"

"What the hell is _it_?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes

"Fucked her" Quan said crudely

Inuyasha began to stand in his instant fury _'That's what they're fucking talking about!?'_ but Shon pushed him back down by the shoulder, making the half demon growl out loud.

"Chill out it's just harmless conversation between us men"

"That shit is personal and none of your god damn business" Inuyasha bit

"Well we have our answer" Quan chuckled

He almost wanted to punch the kid out but he reminded Inuyasha of another hentai human he knew.

He looked over to Kagome who seemed to sense his agitation as she made eye contact with him from across the room.

"Ok guys cut the crap talk obviously Casanova here is more of a gentlemen then us pigs" Shon said trying to diffuse the tension

Quan reached over a fist to Inuyasha "No hard feelings"

Inuyasha looked at the fist strangely and copied him assuming the guy wanted him to return the gesture "Yeah whatever..."

"Hey you haven't tried you're drink" Shon said

Inuyasha looked back to the big cup full of dark cream coloured swirls, thinking it would kind of be rude to object not that he cared all too much he took it and took a sip, he told Kagome he would behave. The liquid had cooled down to it went down his throat in a soothing warm texture, the flavour splashed across his tongue and made him wince, the drink was strong and bitter but gave off a sweet tinged aftertaste that he didn't mind. He put the cup down... _'That was good'_ he thought

"Good huh." Shon said taking a sip of his drink

"Yeah" Inuyasha said ridiculously awed

"Looks like you just found nirvana or something" Quan laughed

Inuyasha looked up to the guys "Keh"

"Glad you liked it" Shon said with a genuine smile

He took another sip.

This was all strange to Inuyasha, these human males were interacting with him and didn't judge him in anyway, he only felt that way with Miroku. Was this what it was like to be human here, everyone so accepting to learn about one another not trying to kill each other or shunning people who are different, That Quan guy said he was from a land called China from across the ocean and the people here accepted him with open arms. Maybe Kagome's time wasn't so bad after all once you got used to it, the Shon kid even bought him another coffee because he apparently looked disappointed when he finished his first, and who was he to say no to a decent offer?

He looked back to the giggling women who were in the midst of getting up from there booth and heading towards them.

"Looks like the women are ready to head out." Haru said grabbing his coat

Shon and Quan took their last sip of coffee and gathered their things as well Inuyasha followed and downed the rest of his drink in three gulps actually disappointed that he wouldn't get to savour it.

"You're going to have one coffee rush my man." Shon said "I can only have one cup and I'm good for the day"

Inuyasha frowned and followed the guys, mumbling to himself "Coffee rush?"

...

Kagome examined the blue note book Ayumi gave to her, flipping through the paged with a relieved smile "So you had fun?"

"Yeah those guys were ok," He said looking around at the shops they passed curiously. "How was seeing you're friends?"

"Good, it's been a while"

"What did Auymi give you?"

_'Wow he got her name right!'_ She thought suprised

"Oh um, just some notes I needed for studying"

"You study to much" he said quickly

"So you've said"

"What's that?" He pointed to bundle of helium balloons floating outside a shop sign they passed.

"A Balloon"

"And that" He suddenly said pointing to a plane flying in the sky.

"What's gotten in to you you're never this curious about the things in my time... let alone this talkative" she quirked

"Can't I ask questions?"

"Yes, but it's just different of you"

"Keh, I can change too" he said jumping onto a long bike wrack and balancing on top of it

Kagome just shook her head "Hardly"

"Hnn?" He jumped off the wrack.

"Nothing... So, what did you boys talk about?"

"You girls I guess, I mostly listened."

"You talked about me?" She blushed

"Yeah those guys remind me a little to much of Miroku"

She chuckled "How so?"

"...What's head?"

"What?" She said confused

He put his arms behind his head "There were talking about things the girls did for them, A blow job one said it was called"

Kagome tripped and dropped the book. Hand over her mouth, she tried to sputter out words "Th-They talked about what!?"

He looked at her oddly "Why are you so red? is it because of blow job?"

Just as he uttered those words an older man passing by looked at them curiously and a younger girl look at them with an odd expression making Kagome's face tingle with embarrassment.

She jumped up and put her hand over his mouth "Shhh Inuyasha don't say that too loud."

"mmmph mmmer!" He muffled behind her mouth

Kagome suddenly jumped back "Yuck!" he hollered holding out her hand that had held Inuyasha's mouth "Y-You licked me!"

"Keh, that's what you get"

"Very mature"

Inuyasha leaned in closer to her and grinned "If I remember correctly you said you liked it when I licked you"

Kagome flushed "That is different" she gritted

He chuckled at her "So you going to show me what a blow job is or what?"

"Inuyasha!" She yelped "Stop saying that!"

He narrowed his eyes "I'll get the answer out of you, you'll see"

"Don't hold your breath" She mumbled

They walked further and Kagome watched as Inuyasha literally sniffed everything he was curious about, asked what things were and jumped around... was he not feeling himself today?

Inuyasha stopped and turned to her suddenly "I wanna run, wanna go for a run!? it'll be fun!" He jumped

"Fun?" She repeated not having heard him say the word without it meaning chopping something up with the Tetsuaiga.

"Yeah!"

Kagome laughed watching as he darted back and forth behind and to her front all jittery like a sugar high child "You're so hyper, I've never seen you like this before."

"I just have all this energy!" He announced loudly startling some people standing near by.

Kagome put a finger over his lips "Shhh!" and he playfully tried to bite her. Hiding her hands behind her back as he grabbed at them "Honestly Inuyasha you're being silly, and don't bite me or I'll bite you back."

He chuckled and avoided a halfhearted shove from his mate and suddenly wrapped his arms around her from behind lifting her off the ground.

"I'd like to see you try and bite me now!" he said triumphantly

"Hey! put me down!" She yelped

"Nu uh you're my prey," He leaned close to her hidden ear and whispered "I told you to run."

"Inu-" She blushed noticing some people were staring "P-put me down, please."

"Run with me Kagome."

"You know how well that works out" She joked trying to wiggle out of his hold, then it clicked. "This is from the coffee isn't it? You're on a caffeine rush!"

He put her down and stepped away.

"Yup that has to be it" she said turning to him but stopped in surprise, she backed away and meekly asked "...Inu-Inuyasha? whats-"

His lust filled eyes bore heavy into her as he breathed deeply and nearly shook on the very spot from the caffeine overload "I'm gunna count to three and if I catch you... you lose." He spoke deeply and in a more serious tone.

"Lose? Inuyasha I'm not running and you're not chasing me," She tried to stand her ground but the way he stared at her made a shiver run down her spine. She swallowed hard as his eyes flashed red "I'm serious."

_'**Run'**_ An exilarated voice told her _**'If he catches me I'll be punished.'**_

_'Punished?'_

"One" He said with a toothy grin

"No" She warned

He readied to pounce.

"No Inuyasha, No! I'm not kidding! So help me I'll use the subjugation spell..."

He just flashed her that mischievous smile

_'**RUN!'**_ the voice told her, not afraid but more of an excited fear

"Two..." He prolonged

"Damn" She uttered slipping off her sandals and booking it the way home, running as fast as she could through the streets, her heart racing and blood pounding in her ears.

_'Why the heck am I playing along with him?'_

_'...Because I don't know what he'll do when he catches_ me._'_

She could feel him ganging up on her his aura teasing her, trying to make her falter as it caresses against her, it taunted her. Damn, she wasn't fast enough but at least she wasn't tripping over herself. She could see the shrine steps and felt a wave of excitement _'maybe I'll win?' _

Kagome picked up the pace finding that the pavement on her bare feel gave her a good solid step and found herself already at the steps and climbing them quickly. _'How did I get here already?' _she thought amazed and wondered if she was running too fast? What if people saw them? Two half demons running wildly in the streets of tokyo, what if some she knew saw her? She was already on the shrine grounds and had made it there first she managed to stop without hurting herself but now needed to find a place to hide or run to.

She looked to the well house _'There!'_

_..._

Inuyasha flew to the top but was amazed at how fast Kagome was running, she even beat him to the top. When he reached the top he followed her scent to the well house _'Hah, the wench thinks she can run to the other side and hide.'_

He noted the blue book Kagome's friend had given her on discarded by the door. So he jumped ready to go into the well then stopped himself perching just on the edge, something wasn't quite right, he sniffed above the well furiously looking down into the dark hole _'Her scent gets faint at the well, but that would mean she's still here and-'_

Suddenly he heard movement behind him but it was to quick for him to react and with a light push he was sent over the edge and into the well "Damn it!" he bellowed.

...

Kagome sprinted out of the well house _'He's going to get me now!'_ She thought in a rush running towards the sacred tree. _'Where do I go!?'_

She looked towards the house and sprinted around the corner. Going against the wall she frantically looked around for a place to hide, but how do you hide from a half demon? Kagome looked up and smiled.

...

Inuyasha jumped out of the well in a fluster and stomped back into the courtyard yelling her name.

"Kagome!"

Nothing.

"Kagome you sneaky wench get out here!"

**_'Find her and punish her for her_**_ **actions'**_

_'Oh she'll wish she never did that' _He though with a mischievous smirk.

He began to sniff around the shrine dashing back and forth but her scent was every where, gah!

"Fuck it" He uttered before taking a bounding leap into the air.

Jumping high over the trees and building he searched for her but it wasn't hard to spot the bitch because she was gawking at him from on top of the roof of the house.

He smirked and in two seconds flat he was there on the roof approaching her, he couldn't quite charge at Kagome on the roof even he knew it was dangerous for her.

Kagome was on the other end her back to the edge and she looked behind contemplating her predicament.

"Heh, no where to go now." He smirked

She smirked devilishly and jumped off.

"Kagome!" He paniked momentarily forgetting she was a demon making his heart leap into his throat.

He went to the place where she would have landed but found nothing. _'She's ok...'_

"Grrr, she won't be for long" His ear caught a gentle laughter coming from behind the Sacred Tree.

Kagome knew her hiding spot wasn't so great but the thought of being caught exhilarated her. She could practically feel the sparks as their auras collided as he approached her slowly, she closed her eyes and held her breath.

He jumped her from behind practically tackling her to the grass and she laughed out in joy.

"If you thought you'd get away again, you are sorely wrong" He smirked nuzzling his nose into her neck making her squeak in delight.

She pushed him away slightly "That tickles!"

He just flashed her a toothy grin. "You pushed me down a well wench, you should be punished for that."

"Aww did I hurt the mighty strong Inuyasha?" She said sarcastically and a little out of beath

"Pfff, hardly" He said looking down at her tight fitting blouse making him swallow his tongue

"I let you win, for the record" Kagome pouted

"Keh, don't kid you're self!" He snarked going nose to nose with her "Like you could win against me."

She flushed "I-I can so."

He tossed his head back and laughed

Kagome took the opportunity to catch him off guard and pull him with all her might to the side rolling them over so she was now top pinning him down, she put her hands on her hips and beamed triumphantly "Can!"

He eyed her with slight irritation then want calm. "So you can" He slowly ran his hands up her legs to her hips and moved under her blouse as he touched skin he could see Kagome's face flood red and she stuttered on her words. He lifted her up like she weighed nothing and reversed positions "Two can play at this game." Inuyasha said in a husky whisper.

"Inu- what are you?" She blushed realizing that he was now straddling her.

"I won the battle, now to claim what is mine" He said heatedly consuming her lips suddenly, his hands tangling into her hair and freeing her ears.

At first she froze from the shock of being kissed so feverishly but she closed her eyes and took it in, the heat sparking within her shooting to the tips of her toes, Kagome pushed back taking his face in her hands.

She lustfully looked into his crimson eyes, unfazed of how dangerous he could be but afraid of what she was feeling at the moment..

**_'Claim her' _**The voice within him purred

**"Mate" **Escaped his lips

There was an instant reaction from Kagome by that one word, she leaded in to kiss him but he evaded it.

"Nuh uh Kagome you're mine to claim" he said huskily in her ear, with a hand caressing down her side.

"Inu" she moaned as he licked down her collar her heart ready to jump out of her chest.

She acted on what she craved and began to push his Kosode open, trying to encourage him to shrug it off with shaking fingers.

A primal rumble came deep within his chest and he could feel his blood taking over but he was too drunk on the heat spreading throughout his every being to think of the possible repercussions, all that was in his mind was Kagome and the lure of claiming her pulled him in closer.

She whimpered from the aroused feeling she in the pit of her stomach that she felt by his touches. Kagome was mildly startled by his low growl but enjoyed the sensation she felt from it, her mind was too all over the place to care, thoughts popped into her mind. Thoughts of Inuyasha's naked skin against hers sending her stomach into a nervous knot which Inuyasha seemed to sense because he stilled his movements and tenderly licked at her mark. She arched into him groaning out loud at the intense feeling it gave her, she just wanted him to consume her whole however she was still being tormented by her over active mind. Should she be feeling this way? Was it wrong for her to be doing this right now? If it feels so good it has to be right. Her conflicting emotions were being subdued by another force in her that screamed for release that practically begged for Inuyasha to dominate her completely... was this her demon? Was this what it was like for Inuyasha to be at war with himself, and struggle to not give into these urges?

A familiar scent suddenly caught her nose, drifting in and making her internal alarm go off, he mother, it was the scent of her mother!

She stopped her actions but the damage was done Inuyasha's Kimono was half down his shoulder and he was all over her.

"Inuyasha wait, mama is-"

He had no time to register what she was trying to warn him of.

"Kagome, Inuyasha?"

The couple froze and slowly looked back at Mama Higurashi staring back at them at the top of the shrine stairs, looking in shock, groceries in hand, she quickly averted her gaze .

"The courtyard isn't the place for that you two" she said simply and continued walking towards the house in a haste like Kagome had never seen.

Inuyasha was so stunned he looked back down at Kagome with blood red eyes making her gasp.

"Inuyasha, your eyes they're..."

Some how the initial shock of sensing someone else in the area did not send his demon into a frenzy instead it snapped him back and disappeared in an instant leaving him lightheaded, it took him a moment to remember what Kagome said.

"Shit do you think she noticed?" He said blinking the red away

"I dont think she looked long enough to see" she grumbled

The both looked down to their tightly pressed bodies, Kagome beamed red and Inuyasha swallowed hard. They separated instantly, Kagome fixed her hair and Inuyasha awkwardly shrugged his Kimono back on.

_'Why do we keep doing things like this?_' He looked at Kagome and how cute she looked all flustered and red '_Alright you know why'_

"How embarrassing for mama to find us like that" she openly admitted

"Heh, could have been worse" He joked

"Inuyasha" she gritted embarrassed at what he might be hinting at.

"Keh" He flushed matching his fire rat cloth.

_'I can't go back in there with any dignity'_ she thought miserably

"Well... I'm going for a run" He announced

"What!?"

"I have all this energy to burn" He said walking towards the well house leaving Kagome on the the ground.

"Y-You can't just leave me!"

Inuyasha was suddenly crouched down next to her leaning in close his breath fanning her.

'How did he-?'

"You could come _**run**_ with me" His voice went husky again

She froze at the instant spark he gave her and found her tongue unable to move.

He smirked and stood back up propping his mate on her feet and straightening her out.

Inuyasha gave her another deep kiss suddenly his hand bracing her back to press further into her and just as quick as he did so it was over and he was already at the well house disappearing into it "Don't wait up" He called out from the dark room and then a familiar glow of the time lapse came from the door, indicating that the bastard had indeed left.

Kagome couldn't believe '_How dare that jerk just leave me just like that after we were all over each other!_' she fumed standing up and marching back to the house.

Kagome peeked her head into the front door to see if the coast was clear and darted for the stairs.

"Kagome dear come down here for a moment" She heard her mother call out softly from the kitchen

Kagome froze on the top step cursing to herself, she hesitantly retreated down the stairs and walked with a slump to the kitchen. She walked in keeping her eyes down to the tiled flood she could see her mother was at the stove starting on something her back remained turned as Kagome stiffly sat down.

"Mama... I..." Her mouth moved but she didn't know what to say, this was embarrassing.

Her mother stopped stirring the contents in the cooking pot and put down the wooden spoon. She turned to her daughter, her eyes gentle and her expression relaxed.

"Now Kagome I know you and Inuyasha are mates as you so clearly put but..."

_'Here it comes_' Kagome thought as her cheeks burned, her eyes trained to her fists on her lap.

"The court yard isn't an appropriate for_ that" _mama Higurashi put lightly

Kagome cringed "I'm so sorry you had to see that mama I swear we weren't... I mean..."

"I just hope you two are being _careful _when it comes to-_" _

"Mama!" Kagome exclaimed finally looking at her with wide eyes

"What Dear? I'm just saying that you're of the age where you get curious."

"Mama, pleeeeeease" She groaned

"Alright, I wont give you the talk Kagome, you're a young woman now and I trust you to make you're own decisions. Just prehaps next time you could find somewhere more... secluded for you're... intimacies-"

"Mama it wasn't like that!"

Her mother laughed, actually laughed! She was finding it funny to thoroughly mortify her! or so Kagome thought.

Waving her hand at her daughter Mrs. Higurashi continued "I was young once too Kagome. All I ask is that you two are more private about thoes things, I could have been another person to walk in on you two... Imagine if it were Souta or grandpa for that matter. Poor Inuyasha's head still has lumps on his head."

"I wasn't thinking, I'm sorry mama."

"No need to apologize Kagome"

Kagome smiled at her mother in relife _'Thank god that went over well... I think'_

"Well, I'm going back to my studies then."

"Alright," Her mother smiled turning back to the stove "I'll call you down when diner is ready."

Kagome came up to her mother and hugged her from behind "Thanks mama, and I promise it wont happen again." and with that she left the kitchen

"Well I'd hope it would, I expect grandchildren one day" Her mother said lightly to herself not realizing Kagome could hear her clearly

"What?!" She could hear her daughter scream

...

Inuyasha sat at the bottom of the well on the Feudal side.

_'Fuck that was close,'_ He thought

_**'Not nearly enough'**_ The pesky voice in him quipped

_'Shut it'_

_**'Why didn't I take her back here, I could have taken somewhere far where no one would hear us. Where no one could here her scream."**_

Inuyasha clutched his fist tight "Stop" he gritted as thoughts of what he would be doing to her right here in the well against the wall arose in his mind much like another part of him.

_**'She is ready**_' the voice taunted

"I fucking know that, what you think this isn't hard for me?" Inuyasha growled

_**'It definatley is **_**hard**_**, for **__**me'**_

It was hot in there, he began to shrug off his kimono but the heat building up in him was too much. _'Not now_' he thought

But the ache was too great he fell against the stone wall from the weight of it, one arm bracing himself as he looked down at his erected pants. He kept telling himself _'Not here, not here.'_ but the desire outgrew his judgment and with that he loosened his ties in a haste and clasped himself hard.

He let out a whine as so many thoughts ran through his head, how he could get caught... this surprisingly thrilled him in an odd way. How other demons will know of his doing from the mere musk of his arousal, and of course he thought of Kagome. Kagome who is not here, Kagome who is just beyond the well ready to be snatched up and taken for his. He began to stroke shutting his eyes tightly allowing himself to imagine his mate in so many intimate ways, he imagined how she would feel, tight, warm and smooth; how she would moan? Would it be wild and wanton as he ravaged her or sweetly timid of the pleasure yet equally wanting a release like she's never felt before. He let out a groan he had been trying to hold back but his breathing was too heavy. It has never felt this intense before but he was covered in Kagomes scent which made his imaginings more realistic. He was now desperately working for release, he could feel it in the pit of his belly it spread like waves of flame in his body, the feeling overwhelmingly hot yet he craved the impending end.

At the last second he cried out into his hand in an attempt to muffle her name being howled out into the forrest. His member jerked and twitched in his shaking tight fisted hand as flow after flow of his seed sputtered out onto the stone wall. He waited for the bright white of pleasure to leave his vision but it took longer then he wanted it to, not realizing how much he strained himself he slumped to his knees and finally let go of himself he waited for the torturous feeling to fade. Finally opening his eyes Inuyasha gazed with mild embarrassment at the damage before him, he'd never came so much before, he had also never succumbed to his desire like this before, he barely fought it off, not that he put up much of a fight anyway, but to do this somewhere so open (Sure it was the well but he and Kagome used it frequently) was too risky. He struggled to stand and fastened his clothes back on, the nagging fear that Kagome could transition to this side if she wanted to and catch him in this act would be mortifying... or an opportunity? GAH! He had to stop thinking like that or he'd...

Inuyasha felt the familiar tingle again.

"Fuck!"

_'I'm never drinking that shit again_' He told himself jumping out of the well and headed towards the forrest to run off his frustration.

A strange scent came to him as he approached the forrest and he smirked '_Just what I need'_

_*** WITH kAGOME ***_

Kagome couldn't study anymore, she felt to restless finding herself pacing her room with a book in her hands yet she didn't read the damn thing.

"I can't do this anymore" She sighed and fell to her bed in defeat

Her stomach was queasy, she was light headed and goose bumps covered her skin yet she had a hot shiver "Why do I feel so off?"

_'I better not be getting sick!' _she thought nervously but then she remembered that Inuyasha rarely got sick, would she have a better immune system too?

She touched the mark gently, it was still sore but it was but a dull ache.

No Inuyasha was stronger than humans due to his demon heritage, half heritage a heritage that he was finally starting to accept over the last year. Kagome knew he was worried about what ridicule she would be subjected to in the feudal era but Kagome wasn't worried about that, she knew he had endured worse over the years alone. She had her friends and her mate to support her and Inuyasha had the same now, she couldn't imagine going through what Inuyasha did without a family.

Inuyasha's parents... His father died before his time like her father and his mother, Kagome didn't know when or how Inuyasha's mother passed...

She imagined what Inuyasha's father would look like, she had seen a fake version of Inuyasha's mother when Seshomaru summoned that strange demon with no face and though fake, she was still beautiful with a soft elegant face. Inuyasha himself was a handsome man so there was no doubt his father was an enchanting demon as well.

_'The strongest of demons in his time so Myoga said, and to be the son from a demon with such high power...'_ she closed her eyes and continued to let her mind wander.

_'I wonder where Inuyasha came from, where he was born, how his mother and father met?'_

Kagome began to wonder how old Inuyasha is she remembered Myoga saying that Inuyasha was born on the night his father passed away, and his fathers passing was around 200 years ago, so Inuyasha was over 200 years old!

She never had asked him before because she knew memories of his mother hurt him but she couldn't help but be curious.

_'I wonder if their story is like ours? two unlikely people in the middle of conflict in the land falling in love one another.'_

Kagome could help but feel sad for how things turned out for Inuyasha's parents, it reminded her of her own mother and father.

Kagome sensed Inuyasha's presence before she smelled him _'I need to ask him.'_

"Hey" Inuyasha said exhausted stepping into the room through the window and slumping to the bed.

Kagome turned on her chair "You've been gone for a while, how was your run?"

"Great, but I'm beat. It was lucky I went when I did there was this pack of rat demons surrounding the village, I took care of them before anyone noticed. What luck eh? I was itching for a fight too."

"No more caffeine for you, dog boy" She chuckled

He snuffed at her comment, and stretched big "Man I'm beat"

"Did you happen to run into Myoga on you're run?" Kagome asked

"Naw useless flea hasn't shown up yet, none of the others have seen him."

"Oh, How are they?"

"Shippo is being a whiney brat about you coming back"

Kagome smiled "We'll go back soon"

"Miroku and Sango are being weird with eachother." He said with a frown

"Weird? How so?"

"I dunno, they are just being all... close with each other. Sango doesn't seem to get mad at his perverted comments... as much anyway."

Kagome pondered that for a moment and thought of how her and Inuyasha had changed in their relationship, how close they themselves were getting.

_'They are engaged I wonder if they...' _she blushed _'Kagome! dont think like that, whats wrong with you!?'_

"Oh,"

"But why so interested about the flea?" Inuyasha eyed suspiciously

"Why not? were both waiting for answers from him are we not?"

"Yeah, but you're usually not the one to ask about him first. You usually pine over the little brat first."

Kagome chewed in her lip "Well I was just thinking..."

"That doesnt sound good" Inuyasha said warily sensing her nervousness

She pouted at him "Jerk... Anyway, where does Myoga go to get all his information from?"

Inuyasha turned his back to her and yawned "No where"

"You honestly think I'm going to fall for that."

He scratched his head "I don't expect you to fall for anything I expect you to stop talking about it."

_'Rude!'_ She thought with a frown

Inuyasha swallowed realizing how snappy he sounded

"I'm serious Inuyasha, I would like to know" She said coming down and sitting next to him. "I mean he's mentioned it a few times before but you always seem to make him shut up about it" She said nervously looking down at him, she could see him starring at her wall with a very stern look on his face. She bit her lip, something in her said that this was something that he wasn't going to give up easily but she dared to ask "Inuyasha, what is in the west?"

"Nothing" He quickly said

She eyed him "You're a poor liar Inuyasha, I remember Myoga mentioning that some land in the west is you're fathers, right?"

"Thats all it is Kagome, land."

"And the castle? The castle that Myoga constantly says he's going to for information?" she pressed

He paused and frowned hard

Kagome figited in her chair "Kaede said she over heard you and him talking about it before, a long time ago even. I was never curious until now."

Inuyasha grumbled something about "Old hag" and needing to kill Myoga. "So what of it."

"What is there, or rather who is there? It's your fathers land, and you never talked about it."

He turned back to her and snapped "He's dead Kagome it's not his fucking land anymore!"

She flinched feeling hurt by his harshness.

Inuyasha noticed her hurt expression and felt it immediately. "Kagome... I'm asking you **nicely** drop this, I don't want to talk about the old man." he struggled to calm himself.

"But I wasn't asking about-"

"Just no more questions"

_'If I think about the old man I'll think about mother... and then...'_

"But-"

"Knock it off!" He snapped again his eyes wavering on red

Kagome gasped, her demon side tensing at his command but her human side hurt by his harshness "Inuyasha..." Her voice quivered

His nose twitched at the smell of salt and turned to look at her but her back was now turned, he watched as she slowly stood up her shoulders tense and hands clenched "Shit, don't cry I didn't mean to- Uh Kagome?"

"You're such a jerk!" She yelled angry tears gathering in her eyes

He was taken back by her sudden anger "W-what?"

"I said you're a jerk! I'm just asking to know about you a little more, to know about your past."

"You know about my past Kagome-"

"I know what happened fifty years ago but I mean before Inuyasha, before you came to Musashi."

"Nothing"

"It's ok if you don't want to talk about your m-" he shot her a look making her stop "... I mean you couldn't have been alone the whole time after. You're pretty old."

"Old?" He twitched

"Yeah, I did the math your pushing like 200 maybe more,"

"Hey I ain't old, That bastard Seshomeru has about a 250 years on me and what do you care about my age wench?"

"I don't, my point is that you have been around for a while and you weren't alone the whole time"

"Kagome, nothing from my youth is worth telling"

Her face softened and she relaxed and chose her next words carefully "I know you were young when your mother passed..." She looked to him hoping that mentioning his mother wouldn't set him off, so far he seemed like he wasn't going to snap "and we don't have to talk about that, but after when you were... alone, did- did anyone take you in?"

She studied the expressions that crossed his face, they were a tortured mix of anger, sadness and pain. But but eyes turned cold on her and he growled to her standing and pacing like the conflicted man. He paused in front of the window contemplating whether he should flee.

"Please" Kagome whispered

"Why are you trying to pick a fight with me?" He bit turning and walking right up to her.

Kagome held her ground "I am not trying to fight with you Inuyasha I just... I just want to know more about you, is that so wrong?"

He stared at her hard and sighed in frustration he opened his mouth as if he were going to finally answer her but he saw her eagerness and suddenly said"Were droping this" and stormed back towards the window

"Don't walk away Inuyasha!" Kagome called out

Despite his anger he turned to her curiously at her bold outburst. "Oh?"

"Its just...Don't walk away from this Inuyasha." Her eyes looked to the ground nervously then back to him "Please"

"Kagome, there's nothing to tell, I was alone and that's it."

"That's not true... I know your a fighter and you struggled for so long but you can't honestly tell me you were alone all that time before Kikyo."

Inuyasha growled at her jumping onto the window pane "I'm telling you to drop this Kagome and that it final."

And with that he left.

Kagome watched him go to the well house and disappear into it to not return.

"What is he keeping from me... Inuyasha, what happened in your past thats so horrible that you can't even stand anyone asking about it? Why do you always think you need to keep your emotions away from me" She said to herself sadly throwing herself onto the bed with emotions of shame and frustration, shame for egging him on about things that were obviously to hurtful for him to bring up and frustration on his secrecy.

...

Inuyasha whispered curses into the darkness as he went down the creaky steps of the well house.

"Stubborn woman"

**_'Mate, is a defying one.'_**

"No not defying, just stubborn as a mule!" Inuyasha growled

**'_Must establish dominance over her, she is not the alpha.'_**

"Keh, like she could be an alpha besides-" Inuyasha pauses as his voice echoed down the well he looked down upon. The voice in his head did not emit any sound or echo in the small wooden room making him realize that he was the only one truly speaking. He dragged his hand over his face.

"So I'm barely even noticing it now" He sniffed a laugh "you sure are stubborn on getting out aren't you"

**_'I had said before did I not? I am apart of you and you apart of me.'_**

"Killing needlessly isn't apart of me" Inuyasha growled

**'_It's the true nature of my being'_**

_'If you mean being as in MY being, you're wrong'_

**"Oh I am not only bent on ripping flesh and spilling blood. I am power itself." **He spoke

Inuyasha whirled around at the voice but saw nothing _'what the?'_ He swore he heard the voice close to him, but... the voice in his head couldn't speak out loud, besides the voice in his head was his own, technically.

He suddenly winced as shooting pains shot through his fingers and cheek. Inuyasha lifted his hand to reveal elongated claws, his eyes widening at the sight, a glimmer caught his eye and he looked towards an old shield hanging on the wall across from him. He froze altogether.

He gazed into his rusted reflection in the shield and he took shaky steps forward. In the shield he could see himself, one of his frightened golden eyes freckled with red and his left cheek slashed with the mark of a Full demon.

"I-I'm-"

**"Turning"** his mouth suddenly moved on it's own but he did not will it to

He jumped back."W-Whats going on?" he gasped not taking his eyes off his face.

His mouth unwillingly turned to a smirk.

**"Did I truly think my nature would stay locked away forever by the Tetsuaiga, deep down I knew the demon within me was far stronger than that."** His voice spoke menicingly

"Why, why are you coming out?" He demanded

**"The seal for holding back my blood, it's fading on the sword"**

"That's impossible!" Inuyasha gasped "The sowrd was made for me to hold you back, why would the old man make a sword with a weak seal!"

**"I will understand in due time but this transformation is mostly due to the fact that my mates powers are no longer holding me back as well."**

Inuyasha didn't breath '_That means Kaomge's powers were holding it back this whole time? No, that can't be all.'_

**"Yes it's true now that she can't use her powers I can not control myself, the need to kill bothers me... I dream about it at night."**

Inuyasha looked at his reflection hard, his fists clenched. He could barely admit it but when he did get a few hours of sleep all his nightmares would be of killing faceless humans and demons... and he liked it. He usually dreamed though, but his dreams consisted of one thing and one thing only, Kagome.

**"Since my mind is on the subject... Why have I not mated her?"**

Inuyasha growled at himself "We have more important things then that to take care of."

**"More important than claiming what is mine?"**

"She is not yours!" Inuyasha lashed

He chuckled darkly **"Her demon calls to me in the night, I know she want's it too."**

Inuyasha swallowed hard "Shut it."

**"How long do you think I'll be able to hold back? I know what I'll be forced to do once I go back to my time where I can be alone..."** His demon quipped making him think of all the times he had to relive himself lately, he had to admit he was going to go back through the well and checking up on the village every night for any trouble then would sneak off to have some privacy, the kind of privacy he couldn't get in Kagome's time. He would rush back to Kagome's side after a quick soak in the river, hoping that she didn't notice his prolonged absence. Like he did last night

"You will, or else! there are far more Important things then doing that! She still has a chance of getting her powers back and if she were to-" he flushed "Her powers would be gone for sure!"

His ear twitched and he directed his gaze to the door shutting his mouth quickly hoping that nothing unwanted would be said.

"Inuyasha?" He heard from the other side

Mrs. Higurashi opened the door and Inuyasha quickly turned away from her gaze covering his marked cheek with his hand.

"Inuyasha dear who are you talking to?"

"Uh, n-no one just... myself!" He said trying to sound as normal as possible, looking over to the shield at his red eyes.

"Did you and Kagome have an argument?"

"Yeah" He said stepping to the well, knowing he had to get out of there quickly.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"Uh, no thats ok I was going to go to the other side and check on things. I'll be back soon," He said in a rush jumping into the well "Don't wait up!" he called out before he was surrounded by the light of the time slip.

He touched down on the other side and breathed in the fresh air of this side untainted by the pollution and jumped out trekking towards the village alone.

...

Kagome couldn't finnish her studying like she had wanted to but she felt too ashamed of herself for prodding Inuyasha for information like that... she didn't mean to, not really... maybe a little, but there was something there in his past something there that was far more complicated then she knew. she did some chores here and there and kept herself busy but as the night came a strange sense fell over her making her uneasy and anxious to have Inuyasha back

Kagome buried her face into her pillow squeezing her tears out and desperately wanting them to stop flowing.

Something was terribly wrong Kagome could feel it just laying there in her bed, something about this night was off. Sure her and Inuyasha just fought but there was something else, it put her on edge and she felt a strange pressure within her... what was it about this night?

"Kagome dear is everything alright?" her mother asked from behind the closed door.

"Yes mama don't worry."

"Would you care to come down for dinner?"

"I'm not that hungry mama, sorry"

"... May I come in dear?"

"Of course"

Mrs Higurashi quietly opened the door and walked in with her usual soft demeanour, her gentle eyes looking to her half demon daughter.

She took a seat right by Kagome and the young woman sat up to curl next to her mothers warmth like she did as a child. Mrs Higurashi stoked Kagome's hair brushing the dog ears softly, Kagome closed her eyes and smiled.

"What ever it is dear, you two will work it out."

"I'm sorry were being so bothersome for you mama, I don't want you to worry about us."

"There is no need to apologize dear, I'm sure there is a good reason for it."

"Mama?"

"Yes?"

"Did you or papa ever keep secrets from one another?"

Mrs. Higurashi stayed quiet for a moment recalling things from her past, then spoke with a soft mourning. "I'm sure we both did at some point in our time together, but I believe your papa was honest with me and I was honest with him."

"Would you say you knew everything about him?"

"No" Mrs. Higurashi said without missing a beat

Kagome looked to her puzzled

"You're father never seized to amaze me." her mother smiled "You can never truly know everything about a person in a life time."

Kagome smiled _'Inuyasha still surprises me.'_

"Could you say that Inuyasha knows everything about you?"

"No... but he doesn't seem too interested in my past, not that I'm overly offended by it we have a lot on our plate with Naraku still in hiding and me losing my powers."

"I'm sure he will tell you dear, sometimes it takes longer for those to open up, Inuyasha has come a long was since when you first met him but that pain doesn't just go away, just wait patiently and he will confide in you,"

Kagome nodded wiping away her tears

"I have to go back down and serve dinner to the boys, are you sure you don't want to join us?"

"No thank you mama, I'm not feeling so well"

"Well alright dear " and with that her mother left her

Kagome thought about what her mother said _'He is a tough character, I should know better than to try and push for answers.' _

Her stomach felt queasy, all this guilt was making her uncomfortable. Kagome laid down and curled up into a tight ball.

_'I really don't feel well... but this doesn't feel like a flu'_

Over the next few hours Kagome had a restless sleep, she felt a pressure in her grow painfully as if her whole body would burst. Her vision was failing her, the room seemed to spin and it wasn't long until she felt like she needed to escape the confines of her room and get some fresh air. Not wanting to worry her mother Kagome went to the window and looked down _'It's not that far, Inuyasha does it all the time_' she thought desperately. She suddenly clutched her chest as a shooting pain went through her nearly bringing her down to her knees. With out another thought she snatched the small bottle containing the jewel shard off her night stand, opened the window and clumsily jumped out into the night, falling on her behind as her feet harshly impacted the pavement causing her legs to buckle. She struggled to her feet, hugging herself in the cold regretting not putting on any shoes, or shocks for that matter, but she just needed the air which seemed to help. She suddenly froze and looked over to the sunset just finishing it's decent into oblivion, her body pulsed and she clutched her chest again falling to one knee.

"What is this feeling" She hissed as she felt as though the life was being sucked out, her sense of smell, her hearing slowly became a muffled mess and her strength diminishing. She curled forward in pain as her body rejected something something within her and the pressure she felt before increased tenfold, the feeling so strong that she didn't even notice her human ears returning

Then burning, her hands were on fire earning a straggled yelp from her trembling lips. She looked down to her glowing hands purple streaks of electric shooting out. Something powerful was going to escape, sinister or pure she couldn't tell but it was burning her from the inside out.

She manages to her feet and stumbled towards the only safe place she could think of. Towards the well house, towards Inuyasha.

*** With Inuyasha ***

Inuyasha moved hastily through the practically flooded village.

"How could I fucking forget"

"It's been a busy month Inuyasha I'm sure she's fine on her side of the well." Miroku said trying to keep up with Inuyasha in the muddy street holding one of Kagome's old umbrellas as the rain dropped relentlessly against them.

Inuyasha's black hair was plastered to his frame, along with his Kimono that sloshed in the mud and wet.

"How could I fucking forget the night of the new moon? I haven't forgotten it... ever! She shouldn't be alone like this."

"May I remind you that Kagome used to be human Inuyasha maybe the effects of changing back wont bother her as much as it does you." Miroku said

"Keh, she still needs me." The human Inuyasha snuffed

"Well you could be with her now if you hadn't argued with her."

"Shut it monk, it's the stuborn wench's fault anyway."

"There's nothing wrong with Kagome wanting to know about your past Inuyasha, she's your mate they usually want to know these things."

"And do you tell Sango everything **you've done **in** your past**" Inuyasha quipped

Miroku chuckled "Oh dear Friend, I tell sango what she **wants** to hear."

"Oh really?" Inuyasha scoffed

"Yeah, OH REALLY." Sango's voice suddenly came in and before he knew it Miroku was struck on the side of the head with her palm, knocking him off balance and into the mud.

"Opps" Sango said innocently as she towered over him with her hands on her hips, Shippo on her shoulder holding an umbrella over him and the slayer, that kagome had got him not too long ago. Kilala, being the loyal demon she is, was eager to join her Mistress and Shippo, but Sango knew that great cat didn't particularly like the rain thus telling her to stay behind as to spare her from getting wet.

"S-Sango, my love I didn't know you were following us." Miroku stuttered trying to cover with a laugh

"I had this strange feeling as if something was going to happen so I decided to follow you two incase you needed any saving." She said crossing her arms

"Always thinking of my safety, you are a saint" Miroku cooed

"Hmnnn, So what exactly haven't you told me about your past?" She huffed

Miroku tried to wave her off "Nothing, Sango I couldnt keep anything from you."

"You're unbelievable" Sango said rolling her eyes and stepping over him "Wait up Inuyasha!" she called out to the half demon that didn't bother to stop.

Inuyasha's walked faster through the mud, something felt wrong in the air, his hair suddenly went on end making him stand stiff and Sango too stopped.

Miroku who was trying to catch up with his fiance froze and dropped his staff. _'Th-This feeling'_

There was a rumble and the air went still and for a moment they all could have sword the rain stopped as their eyes widened for a moment as jet of light coming from the forrest suddenly blasted forth and made them squint from it's intensity.

Inuyasha swore, even without his demon ears he could hear Kagome's scream.

Shippo suddenly passed out and fell from Sango's shoulder, she gasped and caught him quickly.

"Shippo!" She exclaimed

The light vanished and then, rain.

The boys were too in shock to register what had happened to Shippo.

Miroku just stood with his mouth gaped open and struggled out "Such intense spiritual energy..."

"Spiritual energy?" Inuyasha gaped

Sango looked to Inuyasha "Would Kikyo be capable of such a thing?"

_'Kikyo'_ Inuyasha thought with a confused frown _'No... something tells me that its not Kikyo.'_

Without a word Inuyasha took off running towards where the light came from.

"Inuyasha wait!" Sango called out, shippos limp body hanging in her arms.

"Hurry Miroku go after him!" Sango pleaded

And the monk retreaved his staff and followed suit.

Sango looked down at the unconscious fox kit "What on earth happened?" She hugged Shippo close concealing him from the rain. "Please be ok Shippo."

Shippo suddenly groaned putting a small hand to his head "Oh Ooo," he groaned "I don't feel so good."

"Shippo! are you alright?" Sango said revealed looking down at him "You fainted."

The groggy boy straightened up and looked up to the woman "I fainted? But- But how?"

"I believe it had something to do with that light" Sango frowned "Something is definitely wrong" she looked towards where the boys took off.

"That light, it came from where the well stands... Kagome." Shippo said sternly "lets go."

"Are you sure Shippo?"

"Of course! if Kagomes in trouble she needs me!"

Sango nodded and without another word ran towards the forrest, in the direction of the well.

***Kagome: Minutes Before***

Kagome struggled up the vines that were slick with moisture, then Kagome could smell the distinct crisp scent of rain. Although she was going through such an intense pain she propelled herself forward crawling pitifully out of the well and stumbling into the grassy opening. Her hands were shaking uncontrollably.

Kagome began to run as fast as her numbing legs could take her, towards the empty medow, the rain soaking her from head to her bare muddy toes.

Her hands were on fire, she yellped in panic as the pain increased and she stopped her movement suddenly, crying out loud as she felt the fire within her ready to burst so she did what he body told her to do.

Dropping the jewel shard Kagome thrust out her hands in front of her and the ground began to quiver, there was a blinding light that forced her to close her eyes from it's intensity, her ears rang as the crackle of electricity and rushing wind filled her senses. Crying out in painhe could feel an intense energy flowing out from her fingers and then suddenly vanish. Falling to her knees she breathed in deeply, feeling the rain run down her face and cleanse her, releaving some of the fire of her burnt hands. The overwhelming pressure was gone, but now she was suddenly weak, Kagome looked up and could faintly see a cleared pathway of destruction but her vision tunnled and she fell forward into the mud.

*** Inuyasha and Miroku***

The two men ran up to the clearing by the well and could see the large gap in the ground and smouldered trees and charred plants sogged in the rain, the rain that was now coming down in hard fat drops.

The clearing was bearly visible in the dark and the rain.

"What the-"Inuyasha started

"The level of energy it so strong here" Miroku gasped "What could have caused this?"

Sango finally caught up and stopped by her fiance and shocked half demon. gawking at the destruction she suddenly realized under the heavy air of wild energy she felt the presence of a jewel shard.

Immediately the first thing in her head popped _'Kohaku?'_ so she looked about frantically and through the rain she could make out two figures at the other end of the meadow.

The Tetsuaiga shook at his hip suddenly

"Tetsuaiga?" He said to his weapon

"Look Inuyasha!" Sango gasped pointing to the two figures.

"Who is that?" Shippo squinted over trying to see though the heavy rain

Sango stepped forward and flinched realizing that the jewel shard she was sensing was not Kohaku's shard of the shikon no tama but Kagomes because of the intense pure feeling of it and then she realized who one of the figures is, "No on the gound it's-"

Inuyasha's heart stopped.

Kikyo stood over a body crumpled in the mud... Kagome's body. She leaned down and touched Kagome's cheek.

"KAGOME!" He called out taking off in a run towards them, visions of his night mare before made a feeling of fear rise up and nearly forced him to call out to Kikyo, wanting to tell her to get away from Kagome, feeling as though she were... a threat? But this was Kikyo, she wouldn't hurt Kagome would she? No, she accepted Kagome now, even blessed them and their love.

He practically flew to Kagomes side feeling out of breath and strained from running so hard.

'_Damn this body'_

They made eye contact and acknowledged each other but Inuyasha's concern and attention went straight to his mate.

He gasped looking down at the human Kagome and taking her into his arms "Kagome, Kagome wake up!"

"Lady Kikyo what happened here?" Miroku said coming up from behind.

"I found her like this, I came here right after I felt a tremendous surge of pure energy" Kikyo said with a worried expression looking out to the path of destrection "I believe Kagome did this."

Sango gave a wary glance to Kikyo unsure of her intentions but looked away from the undead priestess to Kagome and noticed the obvious, she was in fact human again.

Inuyasha looked up in shock and looked towards the path "Kagome did this, but how? Her powers... they're gone."

Kikyo looked at him curiously "Gone you say?"

"She's human Inuyasha, just like you." Sango spoke out "Maybe her powers are..."

Kikyo looked fairly calm about the whole situation which was only noticed by Miroku who looked at her suspiciously

"Don't just stand there! Kagome needs help!" Shippo scolded.

Inuyasha realized the rain now, and the cold, something he hadn't felt in a long time he wouldn't have if he were halfdemon. He picked up Kagome and took off again back to the village.

Sango followed Inuyasha

Miroku held out his umbrella to the undead priestess "Here take this and I'll tell you what has been happening"

"I do not feel the cold monk, keep you're rain protector."

"I insist" Miroku obliged

She went to grab the shaft but Miroku did not let go for a moment.

"That purified jewel shard you have, it is Kagome's is it not?"

Kikyos cool lifeless eyes locked with Mirokus "Yes"

"then I trust you will return it lady Kikyo" he cooly letting go of the umbrella

The lingering feeling of mistrust was still there from when she had stolen Kagome's fragment of the jewel, and Miroku knew Kikyo usually had a plan for her actions but this time he would not keep quiet. For Kagome's sake

"You have my word"

...

Everyone hurried after Inuyasha and gathered in Kaede's home. Inuyasha was frantic, confused and acting very over protective once again. The amount of people in the room was making him anxious.

"Sango, Miroku ye should go back to your home for the time being, Kikyo and I will asses Kagome." Kaede said "Shippo it would be best for you to accompany them."

The slayer was wary to leave, wanting to know what was happening to Kagome but agreed for Inuyasha's part, Miroku agreed aswell and Shippo protested some but lost the battle to stay behind when Inuyasha practically threw him out.

"So tell me how ye found Kagome, sister." Kaede inquired

Kikyo had stayed rather quiet through the bickering and simply held a palm over Kagome's heart her eyes closed in concentration. She looked to her aged younger sister.

"I was coming to talk to you Kaede, I happened to be going by the meadow when I saw Kagome crawling out of the bone eaters well."

Inuyasha sat on the other side of Kagome's body across from Kikyo just staring at his mate, thinking how he hated seeing her this way and that there were too many times as of late that she'd been in this position.

"Why is she here?" He spoke to himself

"Her world is on the other side of the well is it not? Where her family is."

"Aye, The well is how she connects to our time, she comes and goes freely." Kaede said

"Yes I am aware of that, but why is it that she shouldn't be here Inuyasha?"

He shifted uncomfortably in his spot and grumbled "We had an argument, I didnt think she'd follow me back."

"She must have sensed the energy coming and sought to escape or she would have done just as much damage there." Kikyo said reaching to take one of Kagomes hands "When she came out she looked like she was in distress and then..."

Inuyasha looked up to Kikyo "That light"

"Yes, I could feel it in her. An intense pure light forcing it's way out from her, it came from her hands." She examined Kagome's palms that were fleshy and blistering from a sever burn.

She reached into her Kimono and pulled out a small bundle and unwrapped it carefully.

"Those are herbs for burns" Kaede said "But thoes dont grow around here"

"Kikyo if you know whats happening you have to tell me." Inuyasha demanded

"What would have you think that?" Kikyo said simply

"Don't bull shit with me"

Kikyo looked to Kaede the two seemed to understand what the other was thinking.

"Inuyasha this is a matter that should be discussed when Kagome wakes, not now." Kaede hushed

"Tell me!" He said frustrated "Quit hiding things from me."

He stared at Kikyo with intensity, his eyes pleading for an answer.

"Kikyo," Keade interrupted "you have been concealing something"

Kikyo looked to her sister and nodded reaching into her sleeve to pull out a small glass bottle.

Inuyasha watched as she placed Kagome's jewel shard on the floor before her and his eyes widened. It was so... bright! The shard glowed with pure light like he had never seen.

Kaede stuttered "But how, Kagome does not know she has that kind of power, how did... Kikyo was it that surge, is that what did this?"

"Yes, Kagome has completely purified this shard. What would take me months of purifying only took her seconds."

The old woman shifted in her spot almost excitingly "That shard, if Naraku had it in his possession it could possibly-"

"We will speak of that in due time Kaede" Kikyo said sternly interrupting her sister.

The elderly woman nodded "I will leave ye two alone to talk then," Kaede said shuffeling out of the room as quickly as she could but not before saying "I'm sure you are capable of tending to Kagome, Sister Kikyo."

"Yes Kaede I will be fine with her, I will call for you if you are needed."

Kaede left. The tension in the room was thick.

Inuyasha looked at her suspiciously, something felt off about her presence and the way she was acting... it felt almost too convenient. Why is she back in this part of the country? Shouldn't she be on the other side of the valley by now looking for leads on Naraku, at least that's where she said she's be.

"You keep staring Inuyasha" Kikyo said while wrapping Kagome's hand up.

"Am not" he huffed looking away

"I'm not your enemy Inuyasha, it's alright to be upset but not with me."

He pursed his lips and looked away from her "...Let me do that" He suddenly said gesturing to the bandaged

"Do you think I will harm her?"

"No" He struggled his blood stirring a little coming closer to take the wrappings out of her hand careflly. "I just feel like I need to..."

"Care for her?" She said leaning back to let him tend to her re-encarnation.

He looked up at her with his speckled red eyes.

Kikyo looked at him in slight shock and carefully asked "Inuyasha... Is this not you're human night?"

"So what if it is."

"Your eyes Inuyasha they're..."

He suddenly realized what she saw "Fuck" He cursed turning away and rubbing his eyes. The feeling of his demon blood being on edge was so normal lately, but how out of all the nights did he not realize that he still had some demon in him... on his human night.

"Your demon side is deeply connected to her soul" She commented lightly "It's happening more frequently isn't it? your transformations."

"I'm not the main topic of this conversation Kikyo."

Kikyo sighed "You can't hide it for long Inuyasha."

He calmed himself by focusing on bandaging her hands, remembering all the times Kagome had tended to him. "Kikyo, something tell's me you knew this was going to happen... but how?"

She looked up at him and her face went soft as she returned to her work "This may be so but what does it matter... I am here to help."

'_So I was right'_ he thought suprized, usually his hunches are not quite right he had to admit he wasn't quite smart when it came to in depth things, he was more broad then brain but he just had a feeling about this whole situation.

Before he could say anything else kikyo quickly interjected

"You need not know the details Inuyasha."

"I do Kikyo! You don't normally keep things from me. This is about Kagome... I need to know."

"I must spare the details Inuyasha, it is for your own good, but I know now what will come to pass and it is in my fate to change the outcome"

Inuyasha didn't like her vagueness and growled in frustration. "What do you mean by that?"

"I am here to help Inuyasha, I hope you trust that if I knew THIS would happen to Kagome I would have warned you" She said mildly, putting down the hand she finished bandaging. "But what you've done is very dangerous Inuyasha, dangerous to everyone and Kagome."

"I didn't have a fucking choice Kikyo it was either this or let her die."

Kikyo closed her eyes then looked at him hard "I know Inuyasha but I'm compelled to make a point. Do you realize what is happening to her?"

Inuyasha frowned "No that's why I'm asking"

She sighed "Kagome and I share the same spiritual energy, though she may not have known how to use it, for one to have powers of that caliber... it does not simply go away. Her powers are not gone but they are in fact sealed within her and building. The result is what happened here tonight, on the nights were your demon blood is at it's weakest, when you're human- when she's human again, all that stored energy consumes her body and need's an immediate escape, so that is exactly what happened here. I suppose we should be greatful that she didn't direct her flow towards the village, though it is pure energy, it was so highly concentrated that it had become a physically harmful force to any demon and or human. More lethal for demons."

Inuyasha paused for a moment taking in the information and carefully thought of what he was going to say, thinking of the last converstaion they had something chimed in.

"You knew..." he narrowed

Kikyo closed her eyes to sigh inwardly.

Inuyasha remembered what she said that night...

_*"She will heal your heart Inuyasha, and she will save us from our torment and peril that Naraku has placed upon us all. So it is foretold,"*_

His stare turned hard towards her, demanding of an answer. "You never left this side of the valley did you... You knew this would all happen, the change and everything. You said something about how Kagome will save us from Naraku, that is was foretold."

"I was meant to leave you something before I left, but it took me time to obtain it... I suppose if it had been completed earlier it wouldn't have had a purpose and propably would have confused you even further." Kikyo said "I already told you had I known I would have sought to stop it in what ever way I could have."

Inuyasha was more confused, what did she mean? What was she talking about?

Kikyo reached into her Kimono sleeve again and pulled out a necklace with a shard of metal woven into a glass like substance.

The Tetsuaiga at his hip shook, making Inuyasha jump.

_'Tetsuaiga? its reacting like before, in the clearing.' _He looked to the strange stone Kikyo had again recognizing the metal and clear pale green adamant.

"That's from... but-"

"I went to you're sword maker Totosai, I asked for a piece of you're Tetsuaiga and a piece you're swords adamant. I had a... feeling he would have a piece of the fang, though it seemed like he was expecting me anyway. He made this at my request for Kagome, she will need this in her possession from here on forth... or I fear she will be swayed by the jewel"

"Totosai? Swayed by the jewel?"

"She can't physically touch it can she?" Kikyo said more as a fact "Even being in it's presence changes her does it not."

Inuyasha looked at her hard but was surprised that she knew so much. He hesitantly nodded.

"You went to Totosai? but why, what does that old bastard have to do with any of this?"

She turned the beautiful stone in her hand and it glistened in the light of the flames.

"It is infused with a piece of the tetsuaiga to restrain her demon blood, and the adamant shard to enforce it's durability which was the sword makers ingenuity. I put some of my remains and spiritual energy into it to to keep ahold of her powers."

"To keep her powers?" Now he was really confused "You mean she can still-"

"With this she will be able to unlock her spiritual abilities that are building somewhere within her, a kind of anchor you could say, to her holy powers and outside forces. Your demon blood is suppressing it, it which should have purified her blood as soon as your demons aura connected with hers, but since your Demon blood was fully transfused into her at a time when her body did not have the strength or ability to purify, it had time to seep into every part of her being altering her flow of energy. It is different than if you youreslef were to be purified, you would merely be turned to human for a a short time because you are a half demon but if Kagome where to fully purify herslef she would die because she no longer has human blood, and thus she has no anchor for her powers. She needs to learn how to control it because her demonic influence is strong, she does not know how to balance this, you have your Tetsuaiga to help you with your demonic blood, and without this stone the jewel shard could lose it's purity Succumbing to her demonic blood."

"So this can bring her powers back?" He gasped

"I'm not sure to what extent"

"But will she be able to control it?"

"Yes but..."

"But?"

"It will take time for her to learn."

"How long?" He pressed

"I do not know-"

"So she has to go through this every new moon?!"

"Inuyasha I do not know what the necklace will fully do for her yet"

"But when Kikyo" He asked desperately

Kikyo sighed with mild frusteration "It will take intense spiritual training, it may be years before she learns how to fully control it."

_'Years! She has to live like this for years?!'_ He thought in shock

"B-But she can't- I mean... LOOK AT HER!" He yelled "She can't keep going through shit like this!"

"No she can't... Her body won't be able to withstand the build up."

"And what, what then?"

"Inuyasha..."

"WHAT KIKYO? SHE'LL FUCKING DIE!?" He raged but tried to calm him self with deep slow breaths "... In the past few weeks I've heard that way to many-" he slammed his fist into the wood floor splintering it "-fucking times!"

"Inuyasha you need to calm you're self" Kikyo said sternly as she watched his demonic aura flare off him like a wild fire filling the room with a dark energy

He stood and began to pace the room, Kikyo stood as well.

Kikyo slowly approached him "Inuyasha-"

"She can't die Kikyo, I wont let that happen, not again!" He interrupted and advanced on her

She slowly backed away towards the wall.

**"You'll train her" **His voice changed

Kikyo remained calm but her back hit the wall.

_'He's losing control, will I need to purify him?' _The priestess thought.

She held her ground and shook her head "I cannot Inuyasha."

**"But you and Kagome share the same spiritual energy." **He growled bearing his fangs.

"I am aware of that, me and Kagome have a connection that she cannot feel but I can, my soul has been affected by hers. I can feel when there is an alter in her spirit hence why I knew for sure she had changed. But I do not have demon energy Inuyasha, I cannot train her through this, though I wish I could." She said firmly looking up at him and challenging his demon.

**_"WHO THE FUCK CAN!_**" He lashed at her but froze.

Inuyasha leaped back realizing he had her in his claws, having pushed her back firmly pressed into the wall.

When did he get so close to grab her?... when had he done that?

Overwhelmed by the flood of information and the realization that he had aggressively assaulted Kikyo he cursed at himself, shamefully looking down at his claws.

Kikyo settled her spiritual powers that she was preparing to use, Inuyasha had never looked to threatening to her before, dare she say that she was even a little frightened it's intensity.

Inuyasha looked at her in shock and realized there was an expression from her that he had never seen, dare he say that she almost looked...frightened?

"Forgive me Kikyo" He rasped

"Don't apologize" She said softly

He gritted his teeth "I... I'm losing it, every fucking day it get's worse."

"Inuyasha-"

"I tried ignoring it but today... today it even fully took hold of me. I'm dangerous to you and to everyone" He hissed and looked down at Kagome and his heart sank "To Kagome."

"Kaede informed me of this that you sent the flea Myoga to the west, has he not come back with answers?"

"No the flea is so slow, kami help that worm when I do see him."

Kikyo looked at him sympathetically, he looked as though he wanted to flee but couldn't, he couldn't leave his mate though he made it sound like it would be for the better.

"Inuyasha, I will find a way to help her. I swear on it."

He looked to her his face so worried "You swear?"

"I swear" She pressed gently in her voice

"Thank you a-and I'm sorry"

"You need not apologize Inuyasha, You're only trying to protect your mate" Kikyo smiled

With that there were no more words exchanged by the two, Kikyo tended to Kagomes burns and left to talk with Kaede allowing Sango and Miroku to return.

Miroku sat next to Inuyasha who was laying on his side near Kagome, "So that necklace will anchor her powers allowing her to use them once more? Fascinating"

"But how did Kikyo know that this would happen?" Sango asked

"She wouldn't tell me but something tells me that she knows more than she wants to give up." Inuyasha said

Sango sat by her friend looking down at her sadly "It's so unfortunate to have to see her like this again."

"She ain't dying you fool" Inuyasha scoffed

"It's still not easy" Sango shot back "She's been through enough. I'm just glad she's alright and she'll wake up with one burden lessened."

"Burden?" Inuyasha frowned

"Her powers being gone caused Kagome great distress"

"It's true all these things happening lately, it would be a lot for one to handle. Such stresses can be harmful physically and mentally." Miroku added

"It's upsetting that Shippo and Kilala can't come see her, they are so worried but Kikio advised against it." Sango sighed

"If Kagome were to have another spiritual rupture she could kill them" Miroku said

"I know" Sango lowered

"At least you're human for the night Inuyasha, if anything were to happen you'd most likely be alright"

"Keh, even if I weren't human I'd stay."

"Don't be irrational Inuyasha she could seriously harm you and-" Sango said but Miroku quickly shook his head at her as a warning not to stir anything with the half demon.

The couple looked to there friend in sympathy, he was so distraught but covered it with a tough demeanour. Seeing Kagome on a bed yet again with another injury must be taking it's toll on the half demon.

The sun finally peaked over the horizon, Inuyasha stayed with Kagome through their 'returning' and he watched as black dog ears came back. Sango and Miroku had returned to their home for rest and said they would return as soon as they awoke.

He stroked the mark on her shoulder hoping to get a reaction from her but she stayed still in her unconsciousness.

Inuyasha didn't like feeling so helpless, but he couldn't control what was happening to her, he is just the one who caused it.

He sighed and tried to shake away his guilt trip for Kagome sake but seeing her like this again brought it all back.

_'I'll find a way to help you Kagome'_

Inuyasha suddenly thought of something, he hadn't hear any annoying voice in his head for a while, no comments on how he should have mated her already or nothin. It was because of her spiritual energy, it was silencing his demon and he was rather enjoying it.

After a few hours of watching her Inuyasha found his eyes were getting heavy and he was beginning to feel ill, it was a strange feeling in his heart. A chill wracked his body making him shiver uncontrollably, this feeling felt familiar. He tried to sit up but felt he was to weak to do so, he knew this feeling Kagome was purifying him but it was slower then normal. He managed to get on to his stomach and to get on all fours. He debated wether he should try to crawl out of the hut but he then remembered that he was going to stay true to his word and stay by Kagome's side no matter what.

"Fuck" he hissed when he looked to Kagome as something on her caught his eye.

It was the necklace it was glowing a fluorescent pink, he knew what was going to come and he couldn't fight it off . Just before the imminent darkness he remembered a bright white light blinding him and a call out to him in the light.

...

...

...

TBC!

A/N  
>Yes yes I am still here sorry for the extremely long wait!<br>There was a significant death in my family last spring which put a lot of things on hold, so this story wasn't a priority for a while until school started where I got even more busy, I came back to it every so often writing what I could but it hard to find inspiration to continue and losing sight of where the story was going. But don't fret I am still going for it!

Keep note that I don't have an editor so yeah I know its not perfect, but still feel free to R&R!


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